Second Place
Showmanship
Best Show Design
Best Female Sound
Best Male Stage Presence (Ben)
Best Female Stage Presence (Janissa)
Judges Choice ("Man On The Flying Trapeze")
" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> this made my day thanks! Although it would have been sick if you screamed it so everyone on the live feed heard that. Oh well! Congrats to Chula on an AMAZING performance Simione! Choralation misses y'all greatly
I would like to take this opportunity to address some of the comments that have been made about some of my students and their actions at the competition Saturday:
I have always made a point to emphasize how important good sportsmanship is to our reputation and why we need to make sure we never cross the line between pride and arrogance. Over the years, I have tried to teach my students that the competition experience is not all about winning AGAINST others. It really is about winning your own personal race to be the best you can possibly be. When we get too wrapped up (we includes students, parents, and directors too) in the outcomes of these events we can lose sight of what is most important. The real question is did learning and growth occur? And did we have a great time working together on something we all love.
Years ago, I learned that if I placed my self-worth as a director in the hands of adjudicators I would never be happy. Our program is not built on winning competitions. Our program is about using music as a vehicle to better ourselves and our lives, now and in the future. I am trying to teach this and concepts of character to my students everyday. For some reason, a few students in my program have not gained the maturity and integrity that it takes to know when and where to comment and how to filter personal feelings or opinions. As I have said to many, everyone has a right to an opinion.....but NO ONE has a right to hurt others or be rude with that opinion. That includes the Burbank students who were responsible for being rude to the Burroughs students.
Occasionally, we have experienced acts of poor sportsmanship directed at our program and I have maintained that those are the results of a few immature students and not reflective of a whole choir or their directors. Those situations never justify retaliation or response on our part. I have tried to teach my students to be gracious and to encourage others in their success. The majority of our students have been amazing and have been great ambassadors for our school, the city of Burbank, and the state. It is sad to see how easily a few students can smudge the reputation of so many with a careless word or deed...
Yes, the Burbank/Burroughs rivalry is intense and there has always been competitive tension, That is part of the great thing we have here in Burbank... we make each other better. Mr. Jennings, Jen Oundjian, and myself are friends and we love to compete against each other and we are all proud of what we have here in Burbank. We are "sibling" rivals since we are in the same school district and only a mile apart. We rejoice in their success and they have rejoiced in ours. We have even sent cards and flowers etc. to each other's programs over the years to recognize special achievements. So, for those out there who think the climate here in California is less sunny than depicted online: Of course, there are a few thunderstorms now and then....but really, this IS sunny Southern California and we do get along better and are much closer than what I experienced as a director in another part of the country.
With that said, I wish to apologize for the students who displayed a lapse in judgment about how to be kind and courteous after a competition. Please know that I am dealing with those students and I am quite upset. At times like this, I feel like I have failed to get across the message that this behavior is not what we are about. It takes so much away from all of my other great kids who are equally appalled at what a few of their classmates have done to our reputation.
I hope you guys can forgive and that we can continue to focus on what was, otherwise, an amazing and exciting competition.
first off i want to say thank emma and the rest of the burbank girls that apologized to us on our bus after the competition. i just want to let you know that our choir completely believed your sincere and heart felt apology. we love you. and still have love for the burbank choirs.
but on another note, this is not the first time i have seen something very disrespectful done/said towards our choir(s). like last year when men@work got third place to burbank and los al and eli lippman, bhs vma PRESIDENT, comes up to me saying "so close, SO CLOSE!" in a sarcastic voice. and this year at xtravaganza when insync is sitting in the very front of the audience as we perform and he starts making gestures acting like he is so afraid of us for comedic effect. and not to mention when i hosted insync at showcase and he insulted my show choir in front of my own face not only in the homeroom but also in front of me, his choir, and other jbhs vma members in the warmup room. and this tigger head incident is just the icing on the cake. so what do you have to say for yourself now? that you're not trying to rub things in and that its all in good fun and pride for your school? this was a slap in the face and i really dont believe this apology. and trust me im not saying me or anyone my choir is perfect, as no one is, but we dont make a public show about our victories or disliking for other groups. we keep it to ourselves. i would have much rather seen one million myspace bulletins saying "OMG WE FREAKING WON FIRST! WERE THE BEST AND IM GLAD WE FINALLY ARE RECOGNIZED AS THE BETTER GROUP!" honestly.
Honestly this statement makes you look really bad. Bringing up personal situations you had with a specific member of another choir doesn't really solve anything but add fuel to the fire. And if we're gonna talk about respect let's discuss when Burbank won the los al competition and if I do recall I saw no one from Jbhs stand up . Number one : practice what you preach. Number two : if your choir got an apology why continue to sludge the reputation of the group in question. If your choir would have taken top honors I doubt you would have very little to say about respect. Stop throwing dirt in the wound and grow up. Take your accomplishments from this year and talk about that. Stop this childish talk.
first off i want to say thank emma and the rest of the burbank girls that apologized to us on our bus after the competition. i just want to let you know that our choir completely believed your sincere and heart felt apology. we love you. and still have love for the burbank choirs.
edit: DRAMAS OVER WITH.
moving away from the tigger topic, i want to thank mr. a and our hosts cassie and nick for a fabulous and fun end of the year competition. and congrats to everyone on some seriously intense and awesome show choir sets this season! go california! <3
-what's with the online adjudication comments?!?!?!... just wondering and annoyed >/
-BURBANK: congratulations on your success at so cal. i didn't have doubts about the roller coaster in the middle- end of the season this year, but i'm not gonna lie...you had me scared. you guys managed to pull through as you always do. just like burroughs, you have the skills and experience to mold your talents and exceed your very own high expectations. congratulations to carroll and dandino on another successful year nationally and locally. to carroll: serve up some meatloaf next year!
-CONGRATULATIONS TO BURBANK AND BURROUGHS ON THE INTENSE COMPETITION AND SKILL IN EVERY DIVISION.
-i know this statement is going to cause controversy and i do have friends in both in sync and powerhouse (and i know some are thinking, "then why say it...?" i think it has to be stated) but in my experience and in many others whether they'd like to admit it or not, ties have, and or should be broken by music in all show choir competitions. NOW, complementary to that statement i nor anyone can change past competitions that resulted in unbroken ties, but i always thought that that's how it was supposed to be.
-BURROUGHS: to me, the show design is unbeatable, beyond the years, and always leaving us at every competition with the question, "how the hell do they think of these things?!?!" your shows, especially this year is perpetually engrained as one of the best live show choir sets i have ever seen. a sincere thanks to the intelligent minds who sculpted to dream behind this legendary repertoire, the talented students who make the dreams come true, and the endless hours perfecting it. deepest gratitude in most cases cannot be stated with the simple words of thank you, and this is no exemption...but THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! congratulations on a wonderful year!
-congratulations to Carlsbad on a much improved show, definitely well deserving of a placement..whether i thought it was the right placement or not...doesn't matter anymore lol
-watching carroll learn the words of his very own hall of fame opener last year was hilarious
-THANK YOU TO MR. A, APPRENTICES, AND THE WONDERFUL STUDENTS OF THE MAIN ATTRACTION FOR ANOTHER BAR-RAISING COMPETITION!
-sean, your hair is beautiful.
-tay and shi, always good to see you.
-momma and popss (especially poppss), how did i look being busy?
-the tigger situation: i agree with haakon, and the parade was a bit crossing it...HOWEVER i feel that high school students are held to double standards with either an issue of maturity and the imposition to stay youthful...and being youthful definitely has it's spurs of unnecessary exposure. i would also like to state since no one would, that competition etiquette is also required within the theatre! either you clap for all groups you compete against, or you clap for no groups...and just to generally state, especially because etiquette i feel is held to higher standards in the midwest, we should remember to consider the feelings of groups while receiving awards and expressing enjoyment in front of a mass of people (most of which being your competitors)...some of you know where i'm going with this...which leads me to my next dash...
-teach what you preach. whether you are just a member, leader, choreographer, director, or staff member, your actions and reactions are are always absorbed by the people who happen to look up to you. in many cases, some aren't even people you may even know. all i'm trying to say is that when you're looked up to (and some of us aren't aware of it when it happens), what you say and do becomes the standard of the person who is looking up to you.
-as a resident of SoCal, we defnitely invite you to spectate or compete at the only west coast competition bringing the finals, BABAAAY!!!
Congratulations to everyone who participated yesterday, especially to Chula, Tony Atienza, Brandon Smithey and Pabs Sisqueros on the amazing venue and the best sound and lighting I've ever seen at a show choir competition. Plus let me state for the record that with the possible exception of Powerhouse, Chula Vista had the best designed show of any i saw all year - great song selection, terrific arrangements, beautiful arc, plus beautifully complementary choreography and staging; exactly the way I like to see it done. But man, did those two soloists look OLD last night!!
you ruined it with pablo, scott... it's siquieiros...or something like that ahahahahaha
Probably because your new to SCC Burroughs and Burbank both are incredible and have been for a long time- probably one of the best show choir rivalry's in the nation.
We're rivals in everything, really.
We are the only two regular, public high schools in Burbank, California, so EVERYTHING Burroughs/Burbank is a huge deal!
I clicked on the live feed last night as they were announcing the final groups. I watched every group, and although I had to fix a cup of tea to keep from falling asleep, I made it through the entire competition. All of "y'all" were just wonderful, and I am delighted that show choir families have the opportunity to watch competitions thousands of miles away.
Technology is amazing, isn't it? It enables us not only to share our thoughts and feelings to people around the world, but we are able to bring our experiences into countless living rooms. Each of us has the power to be a positive force or a negative force to thousands of people who may or may not be part of our show choir community. What you do or say from the time you wake up in the morning to the time your head hits the pillow makes a difference in someone's life. The choices you make every second of everyday affects the rest of your life and the life of someone else.
John Burroughs and Burbank, along with the other show choirs, should be so proud of their accomplishments this year. I am glad I was able to meet some of John Burrough's kids in Chicago, and I hope to meet Burbank and the other Cali show choirs in the coming years. Thank you for such an entertaining night, Mr. Tony, you did a fantastic job! I enjoyed every minute of the competition, and I know kids from every show choir in the country will have memories of this year which will last a lifetime.
That's it... I am transporting all Clinton people to California RIGHT NOW!
So as this year closes i must say i luv ya'll!
to sound vibes (and most of Hart), it was a blast hostin you!
to Burroughs' Powerhouse, I LUVED your set this year! i was glad i could hear one of my favorite Rocks Songs Acappella this year!
to Burbank, Swept! Damn! and thanx to Caroll for singin with us on your guys' number and makin Mr. A sing with us!
To Bonita, DAMN! you gave me chills shoulda at least placed!
To C-Bad Great performance! You will be missed!
To Mr. A and MA 07-08 you helped me remember in Hawaii that "Ohana means Family. Family means nobody gets left behind, or forgotten. i luv you all.
btw for those who could see, didn't i look ridiculous cryin in almost every single fricken number during our perfomance?
idk, our set just made me cry that time. it was nostalgic. and to make it worse i had sweat runnin into my eyes so the cryin contiuned w/ massive amounts of emotions and in pain.
luv ya'll! so my final words for the comp season...
(stop me if you heard it before...)"who can say if i've been changed for the better? but, because i knew you, i have been changed for good."
thanx to all who made my life in show choir worth it.
from the crazy "Ha-Y-In" (Hawaiian) kid,
Simione Lomu from Chula Vista High Schools "The Main Attraction" 05-08
I clicked on the live feed last night as they were announcing the final groups. I watched every group, and although I had to fix a cup of tea to keep from falling asleep, I made it through the entire competition. All of "y'all" were just wonderful, and I am delighted that show choir families have the opportunity to watch competitions thousands of miles away.
Technology is amazing, isn't it? It enables us not only to share our thoughts and feelings to people around the world, but we are able to bring our experiences into countless living rooms. Each of us has the power to be a positive force or a negative force to thousands of people who may or may not be part of our show choir community. What you do or say from the time you wake up in the morning to the time your head hits the pillow makes a difference in someone's life. The choices you make every second of everyday affects the rest of your life and the life of someone else.
John Burroughs and Burbank, along with the other show choirs, should be so proud of their accomplishments this year. I am glad I was able to meet some of John Burrough's kids in Chicago, and I hope to meet Burbank and the other Cali show choirs in the coming years. Thank you for such an entertaining night, Mr. Tony, you did a fantastic job! I enjoyed every minute of the competition, and I know kids from every show choir in the country will have memories of this year which will last a lifetime.
Chula Vista SoCal Performance Show Choir Invitational 2008
" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> this made my day thanks! Although it would have been sick if you screamed it so everyone on the live feed heard that. Oh well! Congrats to Chula on an AMAZING performance Simione! Choralation misses y'all greatly
Wow, what a competition.
and we do get along better and are much closer than what I experienced as a director in another part of the country. 
Did anyone else see those 11 tiny kittens outside the green room? 