Letitia plays in TV Spectacular

Warragul violinist Letitia Schutte believes she is a better musician after being pushed outside her comfort zone to participate in the 2020 Victorian State Schools Spectacular.

This year’s show is the fourth for the year 10 student but a vastly different experience.

Instead of culminating in two arena shows in Melbourne, the 25th anniversary Victorian State Schools Spectacular will result in a made-for-TV special. It will appear on Seven Network later this year.

Letitia, a Warragul Regional College student, travelled to Melbourne for just two rehearsals before the COVID-19 outbreak.

As confusion reigned, Letitia said Zoom rehearsals started and the orchestra transitioned from a group setting to playing solo at home.

“We had to record our music like a solo player, so we couldn’t really hide behind each other,” Letitia said of the recording experience. “We had to make it perfect. It made us better players.”

Background noise made recording frustrating at times. Doors shutting, clocks chiming and pet rabbits thumping all halted proceeding at times, whilst family were sent to the other end of the house.

Letitia said the orchestra’s contribution was slimmed down from the usual 40 pieces to about 20. As a result, they were able to focus on perfecting two to four pieces at a time.

With the main cast, dancers, orchestra and choirs all recording at home, Letitia is really looking forward to sitting back, relaxing and watching how the show is brought together.

“It will be great to see it on T V,” she said.

In a tough year of remote schooling, Letitia said joining zoom lessons for the spectacular “was a good chance to keep in contact with people”.

“I love the spectacular,” Letitia said, adding they consider themselves a family. “We spend half the year together, from February to September.”

“It’s just different and at the end of the Spec, it didn’t really feel like the end.”

She also had high praise for the “awesome” tutors.

Letitia first picked up a violin in kindergarten. Her passion for music was inspired by her mum Amanda’s singing and gigs.

After performing in school orchestras when living in Sale and Bairnsdale, Letitia followed in the footsteps of her older brother in joining the Victorian State Schools Spectacular orchestra in year seven. She plans to continue into year 12.

This year has also seen Letitia undertake her first VCE subject in Units 1 and 2 Music.

“It’s ver y different. I haven’t done a VCE subject before so I’m not sure what it’s meant to be like.”

She plans to continue Units 3 and 4 Music and possibly take up VCE Music Investigation.

Although not keen to pursue music as a career, Letitia is looking forward to being able to return to live gigs.

Victorian State Schools Spectacular creative director Neil Gladwin said students had dedicated countless hours across many months involving about 200 Zoom sessions since April to prepare for this year’s show.

“This Spectacular delights in the expression of hope, light and life seen in the eyes of all of its young participants,” he said.

“This year has been a true testament to the transformative power of music and music education,” musical director Chong Lim added. “I am truly inspired by the resilience, determination, talent and commitment to the project shown by each and every one of our music performers this year.”