A Ellesmere College student who dreams of treading the boards in the West End secured a place in the grand finals of a national competition.

Kizzy Lumley-Edwards, from Whittington, earned a place in the finals of Britain Does Variety. Based in part on the Got Talent franchise, which includes The X Factor and The Voice, the show is a nationwide quest to prove that Britain really does have talent.

After a successful initial video audition, the Ellesmere College student was invited to perform at the regional shows in Manchester to perform in front of judges.

Kizzy, who began singing at the age of nine, performed ‘Think of Me’, from Andrew Lloyd Webbers ‘Phantom of the Opera’.

Kizzy said: “I have always been obsessed with the musical and why not sing one of my favourite songs in this competition. My main goal is to become a classical singer and potentially, one day, I could play Christine Daaé in the West End”.

Since joining the school, Kizzy has been an integral part of Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir and Choral Society as well as the Senior Orchestra and the Woodard String Quartet, run by director of music Tony Coupe.

“I have only just started the school this year, but at my old school we never did much work with the choir. At Ellesmere I am involved in a range of choral work and my teacher has helped improve my singing quite a lot, especially with choral music especially”, She said.

It’s not only on the national stage that Kizzy has been gaining success. She won the Under 15 Vocal Solo Musical Theatre and came second in the Under 15 Vocal Solo Own Choice class, at the recent Lichfield Festival of Music, where 200 local school children competed for the honours. Kizzy, who is working towards her Grade 7 Classical Singing, has also won the Under 15 Vocal Solo Own Choice and Under 15 Drum Kit Solo Class, for the last two years, at the Oswestry Youth Music Festival.

Director of music, Tony Coupe said: “I am delighted to be working with Kizzy. She is a bright and talented musician who responds brilliantly to the musical challenges offered here at the college. Kizzy is a natural performer with great instinct. She possesses both the ability and dedication to continue on to a successful career as a singer.”