This complaint is against Siena Session for Music and the Arts (SSMA) with 2 offices:2109 Broadway, Suite 13-131, N. Y.,NY10023 & 595 Prospect Rd., Waterbury, CT.06706. .They audition young singers across the country for their summer program.
My daughter was accepted to their 2008 summer music program to study and perform opera in Siena, Italy. She was so excited. What was to be a wonderful exciting learning experience turned into a horror! She paid $4385.70 May30, 2008 for this program.
June 4 SSMA arranged her flight on Continental airlines for an additional $1400.00 (the day AFTER they, unbeknownst to us, canceled the program!!!) They refused to return her money and now state that they already gave it back. THEY DIDN’T!! They don’t answer e-mails & refuse certified mail. They are now auditioning for summer 2009. We want our daughter’s money back, but also must get the word out about these scammers.
They get students from all across the country. We found out they also cancelled in 2007 and discovered they have lied and scammed for years, although they have reached a new level by refusing to return fees. This has been an ongoing horror for us. They are masters at twisting everything you say. Every word they utter is a lie-right to your face…it’s amazing! We have been insulted and threatened by the director & his secretary. This has been going on, with others, for years!! THEY MUST BE STOPPED BEFORE THEY ROPE IN MORE YOUNG HOPEFULS, PREYING ON THEIR DESIRE TO SUCCEED IN A VERY DIFFICULT BUSINESS!!!
It has been reported that the Director is a very dangerous man. He has threatened students and refused them food and medical care, while far away from home. Please go to Classical Singer Magazine website, www.classicalsinger.com (THE publication for young singers), go to ARCHIVES-Jan.2003 “SSMA Promises and Realities” for more info on their many, many frauds thru the years. I certainly wish we had read it BEFORE my daughter paid these crooks! Also, go to “Summer Programs” on the site, click on SESSIONE SENESE per la MUSICA e L’ARTE and view the complaints posted there thru the years. There are 91 programs listed…only 2 are NOT RECOMMENDED, SSMA is one of them. It is very important to note that posts on the website by “grapefruit”, ”Davide”, ”Maysinger”, ”SNET”, & “MIKEFAM” are SSMA & friends posing as satisfied students. They are so sneaky and liars in everything they do! Please help us get our daughter’s money back and prevent them from doing this again to students in their care.
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