Iraqi refugee and budding opera singer Maryana Abdo, aspiring professional football player Semisi Peleketi and outstanding young guitarist Ben Gillard are among 54 featured artists who will perform in the 2024 Schools Spectacular, ’All 4 One’.

The talented line-up of young stars will lead a cast of more than 5500 NSW public school students at Qudos Bank Arena on 29 and 30 November.

In its 41st year, Schools Spectacular Creative Director Sonja Sjolander said the production would again push the boundaries of excellence, inclusion, diversity and engagement in the arts.

“This year’s show features an opera singer who is self-taught and has only been in Australia for a few years, a collection of ABBA songs to mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary band winning the Eurovision song contest, a rock band performing Aerosmith’s power ballad, Dream On, pop songs from current and iconic artists, and musical theatre masterpieces that soar to new heights,” Ms Sjolander said.

“Student creativity is at the heart of this year’s show with an original orchestral composition called Voyage, written by 15-year-old Ming Li from Normanhurst Boys High School, to be performed live by the symphony orchestra.

“We also have an original short story, written by seven- year-old Neysa Blake from Matthew Pearce Public School, forming the narrative for a segment performed by hundreds of students through song and dance.”

An item focusing on the talents of students from rural and remote regions will also feature in this year’s show, involving everything from bagpipes to flutes, guitars, stunning vocals, dance and circus skills.

Executive Producer Richard Spiewak said the 2024 Schools Spectacular theme, ‘All 4 One’, was about teamwork, looking out for each other and working together, with everyone involved playing an “integral part in making the show happen”.

“Schools Spectacular fosters a culture that values diversity and inclusion by platforming the talents and creativity of students and staff from across NSW, in particular students identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, students with disability, students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and students from regional, rural and remote schools,” Mr Spiewak said.

“The Spectacular is not one person or one team, it is truly ‘All 4 One’, for without every part working together, there would be no Spectacular.”

SpecFest, the entertainment and activity hub that fuels engagement and excitement with the audience outside the auditorium, returns in 2024 with fun, food and activities.

There is a new virtual participation element to the SpecFest Flash Mob, where more than 600 students perform the same routine simultaneously at locations across the state.

Schools Spectacular is proudly supported by Telstra, the NSW Teachers Federation, School Bytes, Smartsalary, Teachers Health; value-in-kind supporters Woolworths and Stormer Music; and event partners Qudos Bank Arena, Seven Network and Ticketek.