THE William Palmer Theatre Company from Thurrock were successful at the first Regional Final of the 2020 Jack Petchey Perfect Pitch competition held at Broadway Theatre, Barking.

They will now go through to the Grand Final at the world-famous Cadogan Hall on 1 March. The regional final saw more than 200 young people representing 11 groups battle it out to win one of five places at the Grand Final.

The William Palmer Theatre Company is formed of Year 2 Performing Arts students at the Palmer's Campus of USP College.

Ayshe Conaty, from the William Palmer Theatre Company said: "The students study a combination of signing, acting and dancing with their favourite element being a capella - which is why the Perfect Pitch Competition was a great opportunity for them. All the students have worked incredibly hard and I am proud of their commitment and talent.

"Getting to the Grand Final of the Jack Petchey Perfect Pitch Competition is an amazing achievement and will help many of our students as they progress to Higher Education to study Performing Arts."

At the Grand Final 12 groups from three Regional Finals will perform two songs each in front of a panel of industry experts and judges will then choose the Jack Petchey Perfect Pitch Champions sharing in a £1000 prize pot.

Sir Jack Petchey, aged 94, said: "It is right that we should support our youth in this way. It is right that we encourage and nurture them to grow their talents – whatever those talents may be and they have as much fun as possible on the way! How I would love to be able to sing like them!

With the confidence they gain from Jack Petchey's Perfect Pitch I hope they will go on to achieve great things."

Jack Petchey's Perfect Pitch focuses on teaching a capella music skills to schools and youth choirs. A cappella singing is the oldest form of music. The term refers to unaccompanied (i.e. without instruments) choral or individual singing. It is an Italian phrase meaning 'in the manner of the church'.