RGS Musicians Impress at Sunshine Music Festival

RGS Worcester pupils once again took to the stage at the Sunshine Music Festival in Upton upon Severn, where the Arts Stage provided a platform for emerging young talent. The festival, now in its third year of collaboration with the Worcester Creative Arts Festival, is renowned for showcasing the next generation of musicians and RGS pupils were at the heart of the line-up.

Opening Thursday evening’s programme, the ‘Dashing Musical Chaps’ (DMCs) entertained audiences with their stylish a cappella performances of 1950s classics alongside more modern arrangements. Their harmonies and polished delivery captured the spirit of timeless vocal music, with Arthur Hasling, Kieran Lilley, Callum Munday, Denis Goodwillie-Green, Thomas Pound, Ivan Innocent, Dan Foster, Tom Newman, Arun Mungar, Lucas Reid, Theo Mason and Toby Alexander delighting festivalgoers. Later that evening, RGS jazz-funk ensemble ‘Noodle Soup’, featuring many of the same pupils alongside Bethany Atherton and Edith Wise, impressed with their inventive reworking of everything from Portishead’s moody trip-hop to Ray Charles’ swing.

On Friday afternoon, Kieran Lilley gave a solo performance showcasing his versatility, drawing on classic rock influences from Frankie Valli through to Sam Ryder. The evening then saw the return of ‘Revolution 9’, made up of Tom Newman, Kieran Lilley, Arun Mungar and Will Hughes, who brought an eclectic set of prog rock, pop and original material to the stage.

Closing the festival’s weekend, ‘Insomnia’, featuring Eloise Austin Ginger and Audrey Hargreaves alongside their bandmates from Bromsgrove/ Worcester RockSchool, delivered a high-energy performance on Sunday evening. With a mix of classic rock, grunge, pop-punk and metal, the group demonstrated why they have become seasoned performers despite being only 13 to 15 years old.

The Sunshine Festival’s Arts Stage continues to grow as a hub for creativity, giving audiences the chance to discover hidden gems and future stars. For RGS pupils, it was a brilliant opportunity to perform in front of a live audience, develop their stage presence and share their music with the wider community.