BAND The Commonjets – made up of four pupils from Woodlands Academy – have been named the winners of the Coventry Schools Young Entertainer 2014.
They performed their new single called The Enemy on the main stage at The Belgrade Theatre last weekend, earning them a place on the bill at this year’s Godiva Festival.
The band – previously known as The Prospects – are virtual veterans of the annual contest, having entered for the first time back in 2011 when they came third.
And this year they were up against 140 singers, dancers and performers from 20 schools across the city in front of a sell-out audience of around 1,000.
Second place went to Richard Fairlie from King Henry VIII who sang Oasis’ Wonderwall while third was jazz/fusion band Out of the Blue from Blue Coat School.
Special recognition awards went to Laura Warwick from Whitley Academy for her performance of Cher’s Believe, Jack Dickson-Carvell for singing a theatrical song, Coundon Court for producing a spectacle of Ultra Violet Spectacular while dancing through the decades, and Cardinal Newman’s folk performance of a classic Mumford & Sons track.
The show is designed to give pupils an opportunity to showcase their talent and perform on a grand stage. The 2012 winner Reece Bahia appeared on BBC talent show The Voice this year.
Organiser Warren Officer, from the Rotary Club of Coventry Jubilee, said “Each year we witness the show going from strength to strength and this year, for the first time, any one of the schools could have featured in the top three.
“I am delighted with the support we get, not only from the schools and the teachers, but also the public. The theatre was as close to capacity that we have ever seen.”
Out of the Blue from Bluecoat School (s)
Special award winners Laura Warwick and Jack Dickson-Carvell (s)
The judges were gospel singer and Mobo Nominee Sandra Godley, Trevor Jones from Performing Arts Services, singer Karl Loxley and Jill Freeman from Freeman Dance (s)
Richard Fairlie from King Henry VIII who sang Oasis’ Wonderwall to earn second place (s)
