Dinthill High School, the underdogs and judges’ golden note in the Television Jamaica’s All Together Sing competition, emerged the winner of the 18th season on Sunday.
The grand announcement of the first-time winner’s victory was made on Sunday evening atthe studios of Television Jamaica.
Copping the trophy for the first time was a dream come true for Trishana Sinclair, choreographer and choir director, and Rhoan Johnson, music teacher at the champion school.
“Definitely, we’re in awe. We are overwhelmed with excitement and enthusiasm,” Sinclair told The Gleaner immediately after doing the final direction for the choir’s performance on stage and the grand announcement was made.
“It’s been a long road. A very long road, and someone said to me, ‘Put God first, and He will do the rest’, and that’s exactly what we did, and that’s why are victorious tonight. We did a lot of work staying up late, making tracks, doing research for choreography, coming the next day to try to put everything together, and we are reaping the reward right now,” Johnson said.
Sinclair said that when they were notified that they were the golden note for the judges, she was amazed, but Johnson said he was confident that they would have been chosen.
“We knew we were going to be the golden note. Not to brag, but we knew, so when we got the call, we were not that surprised. We knew we couldn’t drop out of the race,” he said.
“We are honoured to have been chosen as the golden note out of all the choirs,” Sinclair added.
Anthony Garwood, principal, Dinthill Technical High, said it was “an unexplainable moment” given that the inaugural victory for the school took place on his birthday.
“Winning this, the 18th staging of All Together Sing, is an awesome feeling. We’re winning it for the first time, and this is not the first time we’ll be winning it in years to come, especially winning it on a day like today, my birthday. It’s the best birthday present I’ve ever received in my umpteen years,” Garwood told The Gleaner.
In describing the victory, one teacher who wanted to remain anonymous, described the victory by saying, “The stone the builder refused became the head corner stone.
She then added that the rehearsals were rigorous this year, and even more intense than in previous years.
Dinthill Technical High walked away with a grand cash prize of $750,000 from Television Jamaica, $100,000 from Popeyes, and miniature trophies for each member of the choir.
Central High was awarded with a $450,000 cash prize from Television Jamaica, $75,000 from Popeyes, and silver medals for their choir members, while the St Jago choir was awarded with a $300,000 cash prize from Television Jamaica, $50,000 from Popeyes, and bronze medals for each member of the choir.