As John Weicker finishes his final two months of school, he’s counting down the days with a small ticker in his office.On Thursday, the counter read 44 days, plus a few hours, minutes and seconds.FORT WAYNE – The Fort Wayne Philharmonic is suing a California-based talent agency, claiming that contracts to rent music for concerts and rehearsals in other cities went unpaid this past winter and spring.
The lawsuit, filed in Allen Superior Court this week, alleges that Scott Stander & Associates Inc. owed the Philharmonic nearly $23,500 as of last month.
Beginning in May 2011, Stander & Associates rented music from the Philharmonic for concerts and rehearsals put on by various symphonies in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Minnesota; and Pittsburgh, according to the lawsuit.
The talent agency then failed to make payments for that music.
“I don’t know anything about it,” said a man who identified himself as Scott at the talent agency when asked about the lawsuit. “If that’s the case, we’ll probably get something in the mail and deal with it then.”
Through an email from a spokesman, officials with the Philharmonic declined to comment.
According to the lawsuit, the Philharmonic rented the music for a show titled “Ballroom with a Twist” to the talent agency.
In the rental contracts, Scott Stander & Associates agreed to pay between $3,780 and $6,800 for access to the music books for the show.
On the Grand Rapids Symphony website – one of the symphonies mentioned in the lawsuit – “Ballroom with a Twist” is described as starring a roster of dancers, dance pros and finalists from the television shows “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing with the Stars” and “American Idol.”
Scott Stander & Associates is based in Sherman Oaks, Calif., and on its website boasts Latin singer Charo, comedienne Phyllis Diller, actress Julie Newmar and actors Abe Vigoda, Dick Van Patten, Robert Wagner and Jimmie Walker as personalities it represents.
