United Way of Hancock County & Marathon Center for the Performing Arts are excited to announce a partnership for 419 SINGS; a virtual singing competition that benefits the Hancock County community. Marathon Center for the Performing Arts (MCPA) in collaboration with United Way of Hancock County (UWHC) invites vocalists and bands from the 419-area code to submit a short sample of their best work fo
r a chance to participate in the 419 Sings virtual talent competition sponsored by First National Bank. Sixteen finalists will be selected to compete against each other through a virtual platform over a five-week period beginning in September for the chance to win: $2,500 in cash, a professional recording session with Stone Soup Recording Studio in Maumee, OH and their own live performance at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts. These counties include Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Crawford, Drake, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Homes, Huron, Lucas, Maron, Mercer, Morrow, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Wayne, Williams, Wood and Wyandot. For detailed submission instructions and to submit an entry visit https://liveunitedhancockcounty.org/419Sings beginning July 19 through August 13. The top 30 performances will be selected by a panel organized by the Marathon Center, United Way of Hancock County and First National Bank the week of August 16. Those 30 performances will then be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges who will select the final 16 for the 419 Sings competition. Judges reviewing the top 30 submissions are: John “Scott” Lavender, professional musician, and music educator with over 40 years in the industry and 30 years as musical director for Johnny Mathis; Donna S. Collins, Ohio Arts Council Executive Director and board member of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies; Michael Cavanaugh, musician and Broadway performer hand-picked by Billy Joel to star in the musical Movin’ Out; Sam Bartlett, talent agent with ICM Partners, New York, NY; Marielle Kraft, Nashville singer, songwriter and winner of the 2018 Mid Atlantic Songwriting Competition. The competition begins Wednesday, Sept. 15, during a Facebook live event, when the 16 finalists and their submissions will be revealed, and the public will be invited to visit the United Way website to view and vote for their favorite performance. One dollar equals one vote, and the public may vote as many times as they want. The following Wednesday, the eight receiving the most votes will make it to the next round and the cycle will repeat until the winner is selected on Wednesday, October 13. All proceeds from the event will be split between the MCPA and the United Way of Hancock County.
