Season 1 2001

Introduces us to the Talent Development Project and profiles Rising Stars Pauline Curuenavuli, Natalie Slade, Daniel King, and Tonino Speciale.

In Episode 2 we meet Mr Excitement from Wollongong - jazz singer Shannon Brown, dance pop aspirants Ryan Sheppard from Erina on the Central Coast, country girl Felicity Cameron from Wingham (near Taree), and sensual songwriter Marissa Saroca from the Hunter region whose great voice takes the program to a close with her original Drive Through.

Tonino Speciale takes us to his private audition with a leading recording industry powerbroker and then to an Italian community festival in Western Sydney where he is presented with a major national song-writing award. Then Daniel King, Natalie Slade, Shannon Brown and Tonino Speciale have the rare opportunity to work with the backing band from John Waters - Looking Through a Glass Onion, on stage at the Theatre Royal in Sydney. It's a master class in live recording. They work up 4 original songs, lead by musical director Stewart D'Arrietta.

We go on the road in Western NSW and into a recording session at Song Zu with seven of the leading TDP singers, promoting the Teach The Children Well campaign for the NSW Department of Education and Training. Episode 4 also profiles Aboriginal singer Blake Ralph, from Holsworthy High School, then Amanda Tunks from Picnic Point High School in Sydney's south-west. Amanda and Shannon Brown record a single Do You Still by Tonino Speciale in a small studio in the Rocks under the guiding hands of producer Stewart D'Arrietta and leading guitarist Paul Berton.

Episode 4 concludes with our graduates preparing for the Schools Spectacular 2001. Pauline Curuenavuli works up a song with John Foreman and the graduate ensemble takes us out with another Tonino Speciale original Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now.

Catch your favourite Rising Star from the series in the Schools Spectacular 2001, hosted by John Foreman. Closing the year with a bang, this is the largest annual area event in the world and the largest variety show on national television.

The NSW Department of Education Schools Spectacular is now in it's eighteenth great year at the Sydney Entertainment Center. With up to 3000 performers on stage, featuring your favourite soloists from the Rising Stars TV series, a combined schools orchestra, a stage band and massed choir a truly amazing family show.