Musical Olympics in L.A. Dominated by Filipinos

Filipino singer Jed Madela belted Queen’s victory anthem, “We Are The Champions”, at the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Annual World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held at Universal CityWalk in Hollywood on July 20.

Filipinos dominated the just-concluded 12th staging of the international event, otherwise known as the “Olympics of Performing Arts.” Catherine Loria, 13, from Tiaong, Quezon province, was judged junior division “Grand Champion Performer of the World” in the week-long competitions that culminated on Sunday at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown. Loria, who delivered a powerful interpretation of R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly,” won over fellow Filipinos Tippy dos Santos and Rachel Razon, and Courtney Mary Janssen from New Zealand, and Oleksandr Chernenko from Ukraine.

Loria performed five vocal entries or performances in different genres, such as Broadway, country, gospel, pop, and R&B/soul/jazz in the preliminary round. She sang a solo vocal rendition of the Mariah Carey-Whitney Houston duet, “When You Believe,” in the semi-final round.

Marielle Corpuz, however, could only manage a “Silver” in the senior edition contest that was won by Andrew Clarke, an actor and classical singer, from Jamaica. Meantime, seven other members of the Filipino contingent made it to the semi-final round. They are Panky Trinidad, Dex De Rosa, Abegail Dorado, Glee Nette Gaddi, and the Sison brothers (Marek, Enzo, Ruiz). The rest of the 2008 Team Philippines failed to hurdle Round One.

Madela, the over-all senior division “Performer of the World” winner in 2005, and 12-year old Aria Daniella Clemente, over-all junior division “Grand Champion Performer” last year, performed in the kick-off ceremony that was highlighted by a grandiose parade of 23 participating nations.

The colorful fanfare of spectacular costumes, enthusiastic cheers, and diverse display of musical talents and dance moves has all the glittery albeit multicultural trappings of an “American Idol”, “Dancing with the Stars” and a United Nations parade rolled into one. The first “gold medal” was awarded to Russia, for Best Costume, given on Day One.

“I am very fortunate to be chosen to represent the Philippines in 2005. So when I won, it was such a huge honor—I won the biggest award on the first time that we joined”, Madela told Philippine News after his opening event performance. “Since then I’ve been frequently invited here to perform. It’s a big thing that we are being recognized as an enormous talent here.”

This year, more than 40 countries participated and vied for the “Gold” plus $50,000 in scholarships awarded by the School for Film and Television in New York. Included in the competitions are dance, vocal, modeling, acting, instrumental and variety arts. Each “act” is allowed 60 seconds to showcase their skills in the final competition. Agents, managers, casting directors, producers, record label reps from Hollywood, Nashville and New York conduct seminars, cast and judged.

Aside from the Philippines, the countries that were represented in the parade are Armenia, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Ireland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgiztan, Malaysia, Moldova, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.

Source: www.PhilippineNews.com