Twenty brave Kyneton Primary School students took a leap of faith to take part in a Victorian State School Spectacular performance of a very different kind this year.
COVID meant that a live stage performance was not possible, so organisers scrambled to figure out an alternative to allow the talented kids to perform another way.
What has resulted is a Zoom-conducted concert with participants rehearsing and recording their singing solo at home to be united in choir in a final broadcast.
Kyneton Primary music teacher Polly Christie, a well-known local choir master with the Pollyphonics, said 20 brave students from grades four, five and six had to film themselves on their own singing along to a click track.
“It was all through the lockdown so I couldn’t even record them myself,” Ms Christie said.
“Parents had to totally step up and also the kids, because it’s pretty nerve wracking to all of a sudden go from being part of choir of 3000 singers, down to one person in a room with a camera!
“They practised the songs, they rehearsed and then were filmed by their families.
“They learnt a song in Indigenous language and they also sung in German, they sung Ode to Joy, which was magnificent, and they sung John Farnham’s You’re the Voice.”
Ms Christie said that while every one of the students was nervous about singing solo, they all put their nerves aside and just went for it.
“They showed incredible courage and willingness to be flexible as well, and the parents got behind them so much,” she said.
Channel 7 Melbourne is proudly supporting the Spectacular and a special broadcast with behind-the-scenes highlights will air on Saturday December 5 at 7pm on Seven.
It will also be livestreamed on the 7plus app and 7plus website, www.7plus.com.au, and will be available for catch-up viewing on the 7plus app and website for 30 days from the broadcast date.
Mark your diary now and let your school community and all your friends and family know to tune in!
