Organised by teacher of music Lewis Fryer, and held at the University of Hull’s Middleton Hall, the event featured more than fifty performers and an exhibition of student artwork which highlighted the efforts of young artists from across all years of the school.

Reflecting on the success of the evening, Lewis said: “Huge congratulations to everyone involved in this year’s Creative Arts Summer Showcase. The event was a great success with outstanding performances from start to finish. It was impressive to see how students conducted themselves both on and off stage, ensuring the professional running of the show. I am immensely proud of everyone involved and it was a pleasure to organise such an evening of entertainment.”

Jamie Hughes, head of creative arts added: “For the third year running, Lewis created an exceptional creative arts collaboration. The event brought together a multitude of talent, from musicians, singers and dancers, to actors and artists. The evening held a real sense of variety and excitement for all and I thoroughly enjoyed watching all disciplines integrate seamlessly.

“It was wonderful to once again see the faculty teaming up to showcase the very best work across years 7 to 11. The support that the students had for each other backstage, and the respect they had for each of their respective disciplines, was wonderful to watch.”

Among those in the audience of approximately 250 parents, carers, friends, family and staff who supported this year’s event was headteacher Mark Crofts who said: “It was a wonderful evening with a fantastic atmosphere, and it was great to see so many parents and staff there as well.

“Students were buzzing from their performances and it was fantastic to see some of our Year 10 students taking a leadership role as they mentored and supported younger students. This was reflected by both Jamie and Lewis who talked about the atmosphere backstage, where students displayed real leadership and kindness while working together to make sure they put on a fantastic show. I was amazed by the breadth and depth of talent on display and the students should be really proud of what they have achieved.” 

The event came towards the end of another busy year for the creative arts faculty which has seen the staging of a large-scale school production and a full complement of extra-curricular clubs and performance opportunities.

Following the success of previous productions, ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘School of Rock’, ‘High School Musical’, and ‘The Addams Family’, this year the faculty tapped into 90s nostalgia for ‘Popstars: the musical’. Staged in the school hall over three nights in March, the production featured hit songs from artists including Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, TLC, *NSYNC and Christina Aguilera.

The show was praised for building on the success of past productions through the involvement of a younger cast, which Holderness Gazette reviewer Terry Bearpark acknowledged “carries on the school’s tradition of bringing out talent from its students. The musical showed that the school is quite capable of developing new talent to maintain its high standard.”

The musical was preceded in December with the ‘WHS Winter Festival’ - an event held at the school which featured music and dance performances, including solo instrumentals, guitar/vocal and piano/vocal duets, band performances and dance routines.

A highlight of the year came when GCSE Dance students were given an opportunity of a lifetime to perform at Disneyland Paris. The experience saw the group deliver a 20-minute showcase, based on the theme of ‘hopes and dreams’, at the prestigious entertainment resort in April. During the visit, the group also took part in a pre-event workshop, plus a question-and-answer session with professionals from the park’s entertainment team.

Rounding off a successful year in dance, Year 10 dancers will this week take part in the ‘Gotta Dance’ performance showcase alongside performers from other schools and performing arts organisations at Middleton Hall. The national non-competitive performance showcase strives to provide opportunities for a variety of ages and abilities to perform on the stage of a professional venue.

Meanwhile, the school’s music department has maintained its long-standing collaboration with the Manchester Camerata orchestra who have returned to the school throughout the spring and summer terms to deliver workshops to a select group of students.

This project will culminate in a concert featuring 'timeless' orchestral works and choral pieces, with performances by Manchester Camerata, the Withernsea Ladies Choir, the Hornsea Choir, and collaborations with local care settings, as well as Withernsea High School and Hornsea School and Language College, all inspired by life in the East Riding."

‘Music To Watch The World Go By’, a concert in partnership with Manchester Camerata and local partners, will take place at Withernsea High School on Wednesday, July 9, at 6.30pm. Tickets, £9.00 each, can be purchased from https://www.bridspa.com/buy-tickets/?id=1208602