Schools Spectacular

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The Schools Spectacular is an Australian variety show featuring more than 3000 talented young students and is performed annually at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Highlights of the Schools Spectacular are broadcast each year by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Schools Spectacular 2005. The Australian flag can be seen on the arena. This was taken right after the national anthem.
Schools Spectacular 2005. The Australian flag can be seen on the arena. This was taken right after the national anthem.

The actual performance is made up of many different pieces. A typical piece would have a spotlighted soloist singing on an elevated platform in the arena, surrounded by many dancers and actors. On the stage, the orchestra would be playing the instrumental part of the song while the choirs behind and next to the orchestra would be singing the chorus of the song.

The first Schools Spectacular was Schools Spectacular 1983 and was intended to be a sound test for the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Since then, the Schools Spectacular has evolved in ways no one could have imagined back then.

Schools Spectacular 2005 was dubbed "The Face of Australia" and celebrated the Australian history, landscape, goal and lifestyle. A tribute to Alec Campbell, the last surviving ANZAC, who had died in 2002, was in the production. Previous Schools Spectacular successes like John Foreman (Who hosted Schools Spectacular 2005) and Human Nature made appearances during the show.

Schools Spectacular was broadcasted as a telecast with the highlights by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and as a first, webcasted through the Internet onto their website, with the help and sponsorhip by Cisco Systems. See the News Bulletin on this event.

The Schools Spectacular is funded by 'The Arts Unit' of the NSW Department of Education and Training.

Contents

[edit] Past Themes

Each year the School Spectacular follows a theme, usually reflective of something Australian:

1993 - One Spirit

1994 - International

1995 - Hats Off To Australia

1996 - Get Set 2000

1997 - The Edge

1998 - Reaching the World

1999 - To Be Australian

2000 - The Entertainers

2001 - Celebrate!

2002 - By Invitation

2003 - 20 Years on

2004 - 21st Birthday

2005 - The Face of Australia

2006 - Shine

2007 - My Spec

2008 - Where Are You Now

[edit] Schools Spectacular 2008

This year is the 25th Annerversery of Schools Spectacular. For more information go to the Schools Spectacular site!

[edit] Schools Spectacular 2007

Schools Spectacular 2007, dubbed "My Spec", had a schools preview performance on Friday 23 November 2007, followed by an evening performance on the same day. There was another performance at 2pm and 8pm on Saturday 24 November.

[edit] Schools Spectacular 2006

The Schools Spectacular 2006 was held on the 24th and 25th of November, 2006, once again at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. This year's theme was 'Shine'. The show was about showcasing the wonderful 'shining' talent. This year over 3000 students participated in once again a truly spectacular show.


This is an effort to list all the pieces in the order they were performed live, not as they were broadcast on ABC.

[edit] The Musicians

Orchestra: Schools Spectacular Orchestra

Conductor: Stephen Williams - The Arts Unit

Stage Band: Schools Spectacular Stage Band

Stage Band Directors: Martin Hardy - Pittwater High School, Jason Isaac

Choir: Schools Spectacular Choir

Choir Conductors: George Torbay - The Arts Unit (Principal), Elizabeth Scott, Scott Ryan - The Arts Unit

Featured Jazz Ensemble:

Double Bass: Cameron Whipp - Caringbah High School

Drums: James Jennings - Grossman High School

Guitar: Paul Mason - Newtown High School of the Performing Arts

Piano: Chris Long - Caringbah High School

Saxophone: Michael Griffin - Newtown High School of the Performing Arts

Trombone: Brendan Champion - Caringbah High School

Trumpet: Ken Allars - Newtown High School of the Performing Arts

[edit] Act 1

[edit] Opener

  • Shine - Featured Musician: Ken Allars - Trumpet
  • Do Your Thing/I Got Rhythm - Vocalists, Orchestra, Stage Band and Choir
  • Shine - Vocalists and Rhythm Section

[edit] Voices That Shine

  • Because We Believe - Julie Goodwin and Robert McDougal with Orchestra
  • Anvil Chorus - Orchestra and Choir
  • Turkish Finale - Orchestra and Moving Choir

[edit] Deep Sea Dreaming

[edit] Permission To Shine

  • Deedles Blues - Belinda Robertson, Featured Jazz Ensemble and Stage Band
  • Feeling Good - NSW State Senior Dance Company featuring James Andrews and Holly Harrisson, Stage Band and Luke Dolahenty

[edit] A Wizard's Tale

  • Peter Pan - Orchestra
  • Strangers Like Me - Orchestra and Vocalists
  • Coconut Song - Vocalists and Rhythm Section
  • Drop Of Poison - Orchestra and Vocalists
  • Look Through My Eyes - Vocalists and Rhythm Section

[edit] Lights On Broadway

  • Corner Of The Sky - Stage Band and Luke Dolahenty
  • I Hope I Get It/Don't Rain On My Parade - Orchestra and Vocalists
  • I Got Rhythm - Orchestra and Vocalists

[edit] Great Southern Stars

  • Indigenous Dance
  • My Country - Orchestra, choir and Vocalists
  • Soar - Orchestra, choir and Vocalists
  • National Anthem - Orchestra, choir, vocalists and moving choir

[edit] Act 2

[edit] Metal Shine

  • All The People In The World - Percussion Soloists and Vocalists
  • Earthbeat - Indigenous Item
  • Summer - Liisa Pallandi, Melissa Mophett and Orchestra
  • Played Alive - Percussion Soloists and Orchestra
  • The Well - Featured Band with NSW State Regional Dance Ensemble featuring Amy Evison and Tom Bradley

[edit] Shining Light

  • Where Your Road Leads - NSW State Drama Company portraying the Beaconsfield incident, with Orchestra and Vocalists
  • Amazing - Orchestra and Vocalists

[edit] Jewel In The Crown

  • Canto Della Terra - Orchestra and Julie Goodwin
  • Intermezzo from "Cavaliera Rusticana" - Orchestra, Pas de Duex - Courtney Horton and Dominique Yong
  • Nella Fantasia - Orchestra and Vocalists, Schools Spectacular Ballet Ensemble

[edit] All That Glitters

  • Late In The Evening - Millennium Marching Band
  • Pump It - Rhythm Section and Vocalists
  • Oye - Stage Band and Vocalists
  • Hooked On Bhangra Nights - Rhythm Section and Vocalists

[edit] The Lights That Shine At Christmas Time

[edit] Finale

[edit] Shine On

  • Body Electric - Entire Cast
  • Do Your Thing - Entire Cast

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] External links