A student performer from Barnet has battled it out against hopefuls from 120 colleges to secure a spot in the finals of a prestigious competition.

Nick Shirm, 23, is one of 12 finalists set to perform for a £1,000 prize in the ninth Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year contest.

Currently in his last year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Nick was put forward for the prize – named after the celebrated American lyricist – by his teachers.

“I’m a massive Sondheim fan,“ enthuses Nick, who went to Dame Alice Owens School in Potters Bar.

He continues: “The reason I came to Guildhall was because I saw a guy doing Sondheim’s musical Sunday in the Park with George.

“I saw him and I thought: ’He’s amazing, I want to do that’. I even did my dissertation on Sondheim.“

On Sunday night Nick will perform Finishing the Hat from the 1984 musical, in front of a panel of musical theatre professionals including world-famous singer Elaine Paige.

But he is most looking forward to singing for his family, and says: “It’s going to be great. Even talking about it now makes me more excited than nervous. It’s what I like to do.

“It’s just so nice to have my family there. I get to sing a song that my dad would play me when I was a little kid. My dad’s a massive (Sondheim) fan.

“It feels like a bit of a celebration because I get to do it for family and represent the school.“

And he is no stranger to the stage, as the Old Street resident made his West End début aged 13 in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which gave him the acting bug.

After school Nick would spend hours at Bodens Performing Arts College in New Barnet where he honed his performance skills.

“I was way more concerned about spending my time there after school than I was about being in school,“ he remembers.

“It was all about getting out to do something I enjoy.“ And whatever the outcome of Sunday’s competition, Nick is off on tour with TV choirmaster Gareth Malone OBE this summer.

Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year, Garrick Theatre, London, Sunday, May 17, 3pm. Details: 0844 482 9673, nimaxtheatres.com