The Schools Spectacular is one of Australia’s largest cultural productions, bringing together thousands of students from across the state in a high-scale arena environment. Across two consecutive years, our studio delivered sound design, composition, and creative direction tailored to an event defined by large audiences, tight schedules, and the need for precise, high-impact storytelling.
2022 show opener
In 2022 we were tasked with creating the soundscape that opened the entire production—an open brief, fast turnaround, and an expectation for something distinctive enough to define the first seconds of a nationally broadcast event.
We approached the piece from a thematic standpoint: the universal experience of pre-performance. This informed a sound palette built from practical, character-driven elements—nervous breathing, heartbeats, manipulated vocal warm-ups—combined with synthesizer drones, orchestral layers, and traditional sound-design tools such as risers, booms, and sub-drops. The result was an atmospheric, structurally tight opening designed to immediately focus attention and establish tone. It functioned both as narrative introduction and audience orientation, setting up the emotional and creative trajectory of the show.
In 2023, our role expanded to full creative control of a featured performer item centred around a live DJ. The goal was to reimagine the track “Fabulous” from the Empire soundtrack in a way that would translate effectively within an arena environment while also presenting DJ performance as the focal point rather than a supporting layer.
The new arrangement was rebuilt from the ground up, shifting the structure to better suit movement, staging, and live performance dynamics. Classic house textures were introduced to create forward motion, while iconic electronic references (including elements from Blue Monday) were incorporated to ground the piece in a classic electronic context. Throughout the composition, we designed intentional performance moments that allowed the DJ’s role to register visually and sonically, ensuring the piece felt cohesive, modern, and aligned with the scale of the production. The result was a hybrid work that blended recognisable musical identity with the energy and precision of electronic performance art.
We approached the piece from a thematic standpoint: the universal experience of pre-performance. This informed a sound palette built from practical, character-driven elements—nervous breathing, heartbeats, manipulated vocal warm-ups—combined with synthesizer drones, orchestral layers, and traditional sound-design tools such as risers, booms, and sub-drops. The result was an atmospheric, structurally tight opening designed to immediately focus attention and establish tone. It functioned both as narrative introduction and audience orientation, setting up the emotional and creative trajectory of the show.
2023 fabulous segment
In 2023, our role expanded to full creative control of a featured performer item centred around a live DJ. The goal was to reimagine the track “Fabulous” from the Empire soundtrack in a way that would translate effectively within an arena environment while also presenting DJ performance as the focal point rather than a supporting layer.
The new arrangement was rebuilt from the ground up, shifting the structure to better suit movement, staging, and live performance dynamics. Classic house textures were introduced to create forward motion, while iconic electronic references (including elements from Blue Monday) were incorporated to ground the piece in a classic electronic context. Throughout the composition, we designed intentional performance moments that allowed the DJ’s role to register visually and sonically, ensuring the piece felt cohesive, modern, and aligned with the scale of the production. The result was a hybrid work that blended recognisable musical identity with the energy and precision of electronic performance art.