MORE than 450 children from 22 schools around the region turned out for an afternoon of workshops and rehearsals at Wellington School, before performing a dazzling array of songs from the sixties and seventies to a thrilled audience of 1,000-plus people.

All schools came for rehearsals and a sing-off to find the star soloists for the performance.

In the evening, hundreds of parents, grandparents, friends and relatives poured into the packed Sports Hall to hear the concert, complete with a professional band and three conductors.

Ros Shaw, from Wellington School, who masterminded the event, said: “All the pupils had learned the songs in their schools with the help of their music teachers, and my colleagues and I have been into all the schools to work with them. When they finally came together the sound was electrifiying – such an exciting moment.

“Each school had auditioned a boy and girl for the solos, so there was a tremendously exciting ‘X-Factor’ style sing-off for each role, which was made even more tense as the judges couldn’t choose, so they ran a blind follow-up audition, like ‘The Voice’.

“The winners performed the roles in the concert that evening.

“It was tremendously exciting to have such an array of fantastic singers from so many schools coming along – there is some serious talent around and we feel privileged to have been able to showcase some of it.

“My thanks must go to all the primary music teachers who have worked to hard with their children to make this happen.”

The schools taking part were: Ashill Community Primary School, Blackbrook Primary School, Combe St Nicholas Primary School, Curry Mallet VC Primary School, East Anstey Primary School, Hemyock Primary School, Holy Trinity Primary School, Kingston St Mary Primary School, Milverton Community Primary School, Nether Stowey C of E Primary School, North Petherton Community Primary School, Norton Fitzwarren Primary School, Oake, Bradford and Nynehead C of E School, Plymtree Primary School, Ruishton C of E Primary School, Staplegrove Church School, St John’s Primary School, Sunninghill Prep School, Thurlbear C of E Primary School, Wellesley Park Primary School, Wellington Prep School and Wilcombe Primary School.