Christmas has come early for a group of Ipswich students when one the of the nation’s favourite all-male a capella groups stopped by to deliver singing lessons and a show.

Ipswich Star: Ipswich High School hosted Out of the Blue, one of the premier a capella groups in the UK, for a series of workshops with pupils and an evening performance. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNIpswich High School hosted Out of the Blue, one of the premier a capella groups in the UK, for a series of workshops with pupils and an evening performance. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

Out of the Blue, the Oxford-based university group which shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, visited Ipswich High School for a series of workshops before delivering an evening performance.

The group, which was founded in 2000 and is composed of Oxford University and Oxford Brookes students, shot to fame in 2011 when they reached the live semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent.

At the school yesterday, the group held workshops with pupils, breaking down topics such as performance and harmonious singing for the pupils, with “excellent and engaging activities”, a school spokesman said.

Ipswich Star: Ipswich High School hosted Out of the Blue, one of the premier a capella groups in the UK, for a series of workshops with pupils and an evening performance. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNIpswich High School hosted Out of the Blue, one of the premier a capella groups in the UK, for a series of workshops with pupils and an evening performance. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

Hannah, a Year 11 pupil at the school, said: “It has been an amazing experience.”

Megan, another Year 11 student, added: “It’s been incredible and I’m so glad I signed up to the workshops. I am really looking forward to performing on stage with ‘Out Of The Blue.”

The group also performed a range of original music and renditions of pop and contemporary classics by artists such as Ed Sheeran, Shakira and Michael Buble at the Woolverstone-based school’s Hayworth Theatres.

Ipswich Star: Ipswich High School hosted Out of the Blue, one of the premier a capella groups in the UK, for a series of workshops with pupils and an evening performance. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNIpswich High School hosted Out of the Blue, one of the premier a capella groups in the UK, for a series of workshops with pupils and an evening performance. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

Angela Chillingworth, director of music at the school, said: “It has been fantastic to see our pupils so engaged and excited. The workshops were a great success and a fantastic experience for everyone involved.

“As director of music I am also super proud as Out Of The Blue mentioned that in the three years they have been singing with school children, they have never had a group of young people pick up the song and melodies so quickly.”

Last year, the group performed on Broadway, opened for Wyclef Jean, and put on the highest grossing non-professional show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.