Kooringal, Wagga and Tumut High School students get top billing at showcase

Jazmin Castle from Wagga High, Ben Gillard and Ivy Simpson from Kooringal High, and Tumut's Rory Phillips were all selected for the 40^th showcase of high school performing arts.

Ben, Ivy and Rory have received top billing as "featured artists".

Despite their age, all three have taken the news in stride like seasoned performers.

Ben Gillard is returning to the School Spectacular stage for a second time, where he will perform a solo guitar arrangement of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

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He said it had been a great experience that was driving him further along his journey as a musician.

"I was at my auntie's place when I was about four or five years old messing around with one of her old guitars ... I liked it so much she let me take it home," he said.

"I'd love to keep playing and doing gigs - I love it."

Ben's mother said she couldn't get enough of his playing, and was doing everything she could to support her son's aspirations.

"We're trying to give him every opportunity possible, even if it involves 10 drives to Sydney," she said.

"He just thrives in that environment."

Ivy Simpson may be one of the busiest performers on the school spectacular stage.

She will perform the featured voice piece, opening up about her connection to her Kamillaroi culture, and "Mother Earth".

She will be a featured singer and dancer, embarking on a genre bending performance that ranges from hip-hop to Aboriginal dance.

"We're in the opening number, surrounded by the orchestra, the core choir and the arena choir ... we did a rehearsal the other day, and I was like 'oh my days, I can't believe I'm up on stage with the microphone - this is my time to shine'," she said.

"I get to talk about my journey, who I am. Everyone's connection to Mother Earth, and how important it is as a society we stay connected.

"I love being on stage, and doing it all - doing what I love."

Rory Phillips, already something of a household name in Tumut, will perform his original song Because Boys with a large choir.

Like Ben, he has been embedded in the Riverina's music scene since childhood.

He said it was a privilege to see his song arranged this way to be performed on the big stage.

"I guess I'm coming from a different place to some of the other School Spec participants. A lot of them have only done music-related things through the Department of Education ... It's something very different to what I normally do," he said.

"They approached me and asked if I'd like to use the song for Spec, and asked if I'd like to have the boys vocal program kids involved, so they're all coming along to perform that song with me as part of the mass choir.

"It's definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone ... they've got me to dance in the finale, which is to put it politely, interesting."

Jazmin Castle was a featured artist in the School Spectacular at the age of ten. In 2018, she was the youngest featured artist at the showcase.

The 40^th Annual School Spectacular Fabulous will take place on November 24 and 25 at Qudos Bank Arena.

More information is available on the School Spectacular website.

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