Who were the judges?
John Baker
Andrew Last
Melissa Stainbrook
Eric Van Cleave
David Legg
John Neubauer
Jeff Clark
Shelley Johnson
Scott Thompson
David Fehr
Nancy Slife
First off, let me say a big thank you to Medina for their help and hospitality. Here is the story folr Poca, and forgive if there are a lot of typos because I am writing this in the car on the way back from new york for the second time. After Poca performed in finals we went over to New Jersey to pick up our trailer and found it was no longer there. The police and walmart both told us they didn't have it towed and instructed us to file a police report. Since we no longer had a truck or trailer it 5ook us 4 hours to find a uhbaul to take our equipment home. Our equipment set outside the hammerstein on the street curb until 430am until the rented uhaul arrive. I would like to thank medina and norwell for both helping us and being considerate of our situation. Poca finally got back home and got a call from the policed that the trailer and truck had been found and that they are in impound. Today, a few parents and myself drove back to ny to talk to the police and get our ltruck and trailer. The whole story is till crazy because the police and the walmart center said again that they didn't have our stuff towed. The only info we got is that someone called in to have our truck and trailer towed, and that we have to subpoena the records to find out who towed us. So the saga continues.
I am so glad that your belongings have been found. Such a great group of kids that did not deserve to have this as their experience.
I also feel I should warn anyone who attends anotherfestival ran byFinale. The complaint and concerns that have be mentioned on all these pages are true and accurate. There were things promised and paid for that were never delivered. This event was a business and not a high school fundraiser. I will not post anymore on the issue, but if any director wants direct information then I am available to talk. Once again, huge proprs to medina for their hard work and all the choirs tha performed were amazing.
First off, let me say a big thank you to Medina for their help and hospitality. Here is the story folr Poca, and forgive if there are a lot of typos because I am writing this in the car on the way back from new york for the second time. After Poca performed in finals we went over to New Jersey to pick up our trailer and found it was no longer there. The police and walmart both told us they didn't have it towed and instructed us to file a police report. Since we no longer had a truck or trailer it 5ook us 4 hours to find a uhbaul to take our equipment home. Our equipment set outside the hammerstein on the street curb until 430am until the rented uhaul arrive. I would like to thank medina and norwell for both helping us and being considerate of our situation. Poca finally got back home and got a call from the policed that the trailer and truck had been found and that they are in impound. Today, a few parents and myself drove back to ny to talk to the police and get our ltruck and trailer. The whole story is till crazy because the police and the walmart center said again that they didn't have our stuff towed. The only info we got is that someone called in to have our truck and trailer towed, and that we have to subpoena the records to find out who towed us. So the saga continues.
Congrats on the first place! You all were amazing!! Unfortunately there were alot of choirs that didn't have the same experience. I think we all have to have a little empathy towards them.
I don't think their point was to belittle the fact that choirs didn't get this. I think it was more a comment of how even though they got the things advertised, the other things went so poorly that we're upset too. My choir also got the meanl, show, and hotel. Other things that happened with this contest made it very not enjoyable for us, that we cannot imagine what it must have been like for the choirs who didn't get these amazing opportunities.
Just the topping on the cake of a trying week. thanks so much for your support. poca is a very small school that has absolutely no support from the state. we get no funding whatsoever. all money has to be raised. there are about 500 students in the school and we have a full band and about 41 singers and dancers. i think thats pretty great. mr kinkaid devotes all his time to this group and not only does he direct them he is also the choreogher along with brooke smolder. the dedication to this program is unbelievable! there is no money but he always makes things happen. this loss is pretty devastating...but i know that we will adapt and overcome.
I hope everything works out for you guys. This is a community and we support you guys.
I want to say I'm deeply sorry for Poca's truck stolen with $2000+ props and etc. stolen... Gah that must have been devastating, I hope it shows up. >_<
Just the topping on the cake of a trying week. thanks so much for your support. poca is a very small school that has absolutely no support from the state. we get no funding whatsoever. all money has to be raised. there are about 500 students in the school and we have a full band and about 41 singers and dancers. i think thats pretty great. mr kinkaid devotes all his time to this group and not only does he direct them he is also the choreogher along with brooke smolder. the dedication to this program is unbelievable! there is no money but he always makes things happen. this loss is pretty devastating...but i know that we will adapt and overcome.
Congrats to the Norwell and Northridge choirs! Placing as you did @ a National Competition is something to be proud of, especially considering the ridiculous circumstances. Be thankful for Carla Doles, Dan Baker, and Jason Johnson...you are working w/ some of the best there is!
I am confused. The following post was typed out in late february here on this site. How can you go from getting ADDITIONAL funding to having no money what so ever for judges, dinners, shows, etc. The only issue that was apperant prior to the event was the locale change which was posted here in November. Not sure how Directors werent informed but it was posted here many months prior.
TYPED BY ANTWON:
Finale Producers are proud to announce that because of the generosity of our corporate sponsors, we have been able to increase the scholarship prizes to over $30,000.00 for the programs that place at FINALE 2011! The prize break down for Finale are as follows:
Large Mixed Division
Grand Champion -$10,000.00
1st Runner Up - $5,000.00
2nd Runner Up - $2,500.00
3rd Runner Up - $1,250.00
4th Runner Up - $500.00
Small Mixed Division
Grand Champion - $5,000.00
1st Runner Up - $2,500.00
2nd Runner Up - $1,250.00
3rd Runner Up - $500.00
Single-Gender Division:
Grand Champion - $2,500.00
1st Runner Up - $1,250.00
2nd Runner Up - $750.00
3rd runner Up - $500.00
We at Finale understand how much it takes to put on an amazing show and we are very grateful that we have sponsors that also believe in the power of music and what it can do!
ges, dinners, etc. I am thrown and confused at all that happened.
There has been no public claim of embezzlement though.
What is a public claim? This is what people were told in the turmoil of this massive screw up called finale. They didn't create the term embezzlement. It was told to them that.
I want to say I'm deeply sorry for Poca's truck stolen with $2000+ props and etc. stolen... Gah that must have been devastating, I hope it shows up. >_<
Does anyone know how we can locate a police report to substantiate Antwon's claims of embezzlement? As someone else posted, the issues experienced by many of the choirs screams lawsuit. We did NOT receive what we paid for ... that is the bottom line.
There has been no public claim of embezzlement though.
My choir got most, if not all of the advertised things. The only thing we didn't get was going to Radio City Music Hall and the cash price, to my understanding. Which sucks. And we're probably never gunna see that first place trophy. Not the way the event was managed. But hey, we have a great week in New York.
Congrats on the first place! You all were amazing!! Unfortunately there were alot of choirs that didn't have the same experience. I think we all have to have a little empathy towards them.
My choir got most, if not all of the advertised things. The only thing we didn't get was going to Radio City Music Hall and the cash price, to my understanding. Which sucks. And we're probably never gunna see that first place trophy. Not the way the event was managed. But hey, we have a great week in New York.
I'm sure that everyone participating and watchinG this event wanted it to be successful. It would have been to no ones advantage to think otherwise. We all want a competition that is big and grand at a great venue that not only supports the arts but also provides classes on how to improve. Gives you a great night on the town. Provides a broadway show. Puts you up in a grand hotel. Who wouldn't want to be a part of this?! And they are giving huge cash prizes!! Of course we all wanted this to be as good as it sounds. Who wouldn't want to go to that next year?
There is a time to be supportive. There is also a time for accountability. That time has come.
Please step up to the plate Antwon. You used this forum to promote your product. I feel you need to use it now to appologize and make ammends to all the injured parties
i can understand why you would think this isn't fair. but it definitely does have disadvantages as well. the girls in both groups work twice as hard because we have a whole other show to learn. we are normally twice as tired at the end of a comp day. also some of us get the our shows mixed up at times. we do this because we have such a small school. total in both choirs we have 34 students which is less than the average one choir. in both choirs individually there is 20 and 25, which is a lot less than the average group. but i can understand where you're cominig from too.
Yeah, I think they've made a rule about stacking girls in choirs in the west. I think they had a meeting during the summer and one of the rules they come up with was about having girls in the womens and mixed group, that is a reason why I think Brea Olinda "Masquerade" and "Spellbound" didn't go to the big competitions since some competitions outlawed the stacking of people.
Finale Nationals 2011
