From over 75,000 who auditioned around the world and over 40 countries participating this year, here is the final medal tally for the 13th edition of WCOPA:

[TABLE=18]

2009 WCOPA GRAND WORLD CHAMPIONS

2009 SENIOR GRAND CHAMPION PERFORMER OF THE WORLD
Joe Robinson (Instrumentalist – Australia)

2009 JUNIOR GRAND CHAMPION PERFORMER OF THE WORLD
Rhap Salazar (Vocal – Philippines)

CHAMPIONS PER CATEGORY

Juniors

Vocal Group:
The Young Voices of Negros ( Philippines)

Dance:
Alex Castillo (United States)

Female Model:
Kelly Hammond (South Africa)

Male Model:
Mykyta Layakh (Ukraine)

Dance Group:
Performance Ballet “Exiton” (Russia)

Actor:
Cale Moon (United States)

Vocal:
Rhap Salazar (Philippines)

Instrumental:
Navid Babwah (Trinidad & Tobago)

Seniors

Vocal Group:
Realta (Ireland)

Dance:
Roison Timoney (Ireland)

Variety:
Iouno Babaev (Australia)

Female Model:
Petronella Elizabeth (South Africa)

Male Model:
Andreas Tano (Sweden)

Dance Group:
Aristana (Malaysia)

Actor:
Darragh Kelliher (Ireland)

Vocal:
Kimverlie Molina (Saudi Arabia)

Instrumental:
Joe Robinson (Australia)

Take note that the Philippines has won more Gold medals than the number of delegates that it has sent to this year’s “Talent Olympics”. The country only participated in the vocals category and 1 delegate for the male model competition.

This is the fourth year that the Philippines captured the WCOPA Grand World Champion award (Grand Champion Performer of the World) since we started participating in 2005. Jed Madela in 2005, Aria Clemente in 2007, Catherine Loria in 2008 and in 2009, it’s Rhap Salazar. 2006 was the only year we did not capture the grand prize.

Seven Filipino performing artists have already won the global competition’s top prizes: Jed Madela (2005 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World), The Cercado Sisters (2006 Grand Champion Group Vocalists of the World), Reymond Sajor (2007 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World), Aria Clemente (2007 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World), Catherine Loria (2008 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World), and Rhap Salazar (2009 Grand Champion Vocalist of the World) and The Young Voices of Negros (2009 Grand Champion Group Vocalists of the World) this year.

2009 WCOPA – Final Medal Tally originally appeared on Starmometer on July 21, 2009.

The Philippines grabbed the prestigious 2009 Junior Grand Champion Performer of the World award at the recently concluded 13th World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) courtesy of Rhap Salazar.

Rhap Salazar was the winner in the Little Division of ABS-CBN’s talent competition Little Big Star in 2005. It was also the year when Charice Pempengco placed 3rd in the Big Division of the said competition which was won by Sam Concepcion.

Rhap Salazar captured 5 GOLD medals from five categories he competed with at this year’s WCOPA. He topped Male Vocal Broadway – 11-12, Male Vocal Gospel – 11-12, Male Vocal Open – 11-12, Male Vocal Pop – 11-12 and Male Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 11-12 categories.

Watch the video of Ralph in the grand finals of the Junior Grand Champion Solo Vocalist of the World category singing Celine Dion‘s “All By Myself.” Every soul in the room were blown away by his performance.

Watch Rhap Salazar’s other performances at this year’s WCOPA in Pinoy Power.

Rhap Salazar is WCOPA’s 2009 Junior Grand Champion Performer of the World originally appeared on Starmometer on July 19, 2009.

Here is the complete medal haul of the Philippines in the 2009 edition of the Talent Olympics:

PHILIPPINES

* J2 Power Duet
o SILVER – Group Vocal Pop – 30&Over
o SILVER – Group Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 30&Over

* The Young Voices Of Negros Philippines
o GOLD – Group Vocal Original Works – 11-12
o GOLD – Group Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 11-12
o SILVER – Group Vocal Gospel – 11-12
o SILVER – Group Vocal Open – 11-12
o SILVER – Group Vocal Pop – 11-12

* Christian Matthew Andeza
o GOLD – Male Vocal Contemporary – 18-24
o GOLD – Male Vocal Original Works – 18-24
o SILVER – Male Vocal Broadway – 18-24
o BRONZE – Male Vocal Pop – 18-24
o BRONZE – Male Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 18-24

* Evette Pabalan
o GOLD – Female Vocal Broadway – 25-29
o GOLD – Female Vocal Rock – 25-29
o SILVER – Female Vocal Gospel – 25-29
o BRONZE – Female Vocal Pop – 25-29

* Guy Lockwood
o GOLD – Male Acting Contemporary – 30&Over
o GOLD – Male Vocal Gospel – 30&Over
o SILVER – Male Acting Dramatic – 30&Over
o SILVER – Male Variety-3 And Under Props – 30&Over
o BRONZE – Male Vocal Country&Western – 30&Over

* Izarzuri Vidal
o SILVER – Female Vocal Opera – 18-24

* Maila Mitra
o GOLD – Female Vocal Gospel – 25-29
o SILVER – Female Vocal Broadway – 25-29
o SILVER – Female Vocal Open – 25-29
o SILVER – Female Vocal Pop – 25-29
o SILVER – Female Vocal Rock – 25-29

* Martha Joy Lim-Fiuza
o GOLD – Female Vocal Open – 18-24
o GOLD – Female Vocal Pop – 18-24
o BRONZE – Female Vocal Gospel – 18-24
o BRONZE – Female Vocal Country&Western – 18-24

* Mayumi Morales
o GOLD – Female Vocal Broadway – 13-15
o GOLD – Female Vocal Open – 13-15
o GOLD – Female Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 13-15
o SILVER – Female Vocal Gospel – 13-15

* Melchizedek Bicua
o SILVER – Male Vocal Open – 11-12
o SILVER – Male Vocal Pop – 11-12
o SILVER – Male Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 11-12
o SILVER – Male Vocal Rock – 11-12

* Nicole Joy Espolong
o SILVER – Female Vocal Pop – 18-24

* Orie Jun Vamenta
o GOLD – Male Vocal Rock – 25-29
o SILVER – Male Vocal Gospel – 25-29
o SILVER – Male Vocal Open – 25-29
o BRONZE – Male Vocal Pop – 25-29

* Reynaldo Concepcion
o GOLD – Male Vocal Gospel – 25-29
o GOLD – Male Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 25-29
o SILVER – Male Vocal Broadway – 25-29
o SILVER – Male Vocal Pop – 25-29
o BRONZE – Male Vocal Open – 25-29

* Rhap Salazar
o GOLD – Male Vocal Broadway – 11-12
o GOLD – Male Vocal Gospel – 11-12
o GOLD – Male Vocal Open – 11-12
o GOLD – Male Vocal Pop – 11-12
o GOLD – Male Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 11-12

* Ronald Diana
o GOLD – Male Vocal Contemporary – 30&Over
o GOLD – Male Vocal Open – 30&Over
o GOLD – Male Vocal Original Works – 30&Over
o SILVER – Male Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 30&Over
o BRONZE – Male Vocal Pop – 30&Over

Filipina Kimverlie Molina gave Saudi Arabia a total of 4 medals:

* GOLD – Female Vocal Gospel – 18-24
* GOLD – Female Vocal Broadway – 18-24
* SILVER – Female Vocal Rock – 18-24
* BRONZE – Female Vocal Pop – 18-24

Via WCOPA.com

Image courtesy of Oliver Oliveros

2009 WCOPA Philippine Medalists originally appeared on Starmometer on July 19, 2009.

Only 3 senior contestants made it to the final cut in which one will win the highest honor of being this year’s Senior Grand Champion Performer of the World. The 3 contestants who battled for the title were Noryn Azis from Malaysia, Andrew Clarke from Jamaica and our very own Marielle Corpuz from the Philippines.

Watch the video of the final bout rehearsal in the senior division below:

Pretend that you are not a Pinoy and you are to pick who among these 3 should win the coveted title, who will you pick? Here’s my take:

Noryn Azis from Malaysia sang “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston. She is a belter and she’s hitting the high notes very well. Basing from the rehearsal video, she looked great and she sang very well but her performance was lackluster.

Andrew Clarke (the winner) from Jamaica has a powerful voice and you can tell that his genre is broadway. Basing again from the rehearsal video, he had a couple of flat notes although we don’t know for sure if those flat notes were present in the actual competition.

Lastly, our very own Marielle Corpuz sang “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston. Setting all biases aside, Marielle is a clear stand-out among the three, vocal-wise and performance-wise. But why did she lose the title Senior Grand Champion Performer of the World? Did she overdo her performance? Was the Whitney Houston song too big for her? Or the organizers just want to share the other major award with another country since the Junior Grand Champion Performer of the World award was already won by another pinoy? We really can’t tell.

But on a bright note, the Philippines is still a force to be reckoned with in the “Talent Olympics,” in the same way that candidates from Venezuela are similarly regarded in the Miss Universe pageant. Hope we can duplicate, or even surpass, this feat again next year. If the government could fully support Team Philippines at WCOPA, then we can send delegates in other categories like dance, modeling, acting and instrumental.

Here is the list of champions from all divisions of 2008 WCOPA:

Juniors

Vocal Group – Quintet Gotas de Luz (Guatemala)
Dance – Marketa Frajkowska (Czech Republic)
Female Model – Tayla Robson (South Africa)
Male Model – Kole Smith (United States)
Dance Group – M U C Junior Dancers (Jamaica)
Actor – Claudia Perez Vigoa (United States)
Vocal – Catherine Loria (Philippines)
Instrumental – Quintet Gotas de Luz (Guatemala)

Seniors

Dance – Christay Kotze (South Africa)
Variety – Cecilia Andren (Sweden)
Female Model – Yulia Sharshakova (Moldova)
Male Model – Nick Vaden (United States)
Dance Group – 2 Fries (Denmark)
Actor – Dinah Bradford (United States)
Vocal – Andrew Clarke (Jamaica)
Instrumental – Darnell Thomas (Trinidad & Tobago)

Here are the over-all winners from the Philippines:

* Dexter C. Villahermosa – Male – Vocal Pop – 25&Over
* Glee Nette P. Gaddi – Female – Vocal Gospel – 10-under
* Glee Nette P. Gaddi – Female – Vocal Open – 10-under
* Glee Nette P. Gaddi – Female – Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 10-under
* Mariangela Soleil F. Trinidad – Female – Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – 16-24
* Roberto Luis O. Sison – Male – Acting Open – 10-under
* Rose Marielle T. Mamaclay – Female – Vocal Open – 16-24
* Rose Marielle T. Mamaclay – Female – Vocal Pop – 16-24
* Stephanie Denise E. Dos Santos – Female – Vocal Pop – Age 11-15
* Stephanie Denise E. Dos Santos – Female – Vocal Broadway – Age 11-15
* Stephanie Denise E. Dos Santos – Female – Vocal Country&Western – Age 11-15

And here are all the medals we won in WCOPA 2008:

# Abegail S. Dorado

* GOLD – Female Vocal Latin – 16-17
* GOLD – Female Vocal Open – 16-17
* GOLD – Female Vocal Pop – 16-17
* GOLD – Female Vocal Pop – 16-17
* SILVER – Female Vocal Broadway – 16-17
* SILVER – Female Vocal Broadway – 16-17
* SILVER – Female Vocal R&b/soul/Jazz – 16-17

# Catherine I. Loria

* GOLD – Female Vocal Gospel – Age 13-15
* SILVER – Female Vocal Pop – Age 13-15
* SILVER – Female Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – Age 13-15

# Cherry Maine C. Palad

* SILVER – Female Vocal Country&Western – Age 11-12
* SILVER – Female Vocal Gospel – Age 11-12
* BRONZE – Female Vocal Broadway – Age 11-12
* BRONZE – Female Vocal Pop – Age 11-12

# Dexter C. Villahermosa

* GOLD – Male Vocal Pop – 30&Over
* SILVER – Male Vocal R&b/soul/Jazz – 30&Over
* SILVER – Male Vocal Rock – 30&Over
* SILVER – Male Vocal Rock – 30&Over
* BRONZE – Male Vocal Broadway – 30&Over
* BRONZE – Male Vocal Broadway – 30&Over

# Dexter Villahermosa And Abegail Dorado

* GOLD – Group Vocal Broadway – 18-24
* SILVER – Group Vocal Gospel – 18-24
* SILVER – Group Vocal Pop – 18-24
* SILVER – Group Vocal Gospel – 18-24

# Filbert B. Girado Jr.

* GOLD – Male Vocal Rock – 30&Over
* SILVER – Male Vocal Broadway – 30&Over
* SILVER – Male Vocal Contemporary – 30&Over
* BRONZE – Male Vocal Gospel – 30&Over

# Filbert B. Girado, Jr.

* GOLD – Male Vocal Rock – 30&Over
* BRONZE – Male Vocal Gospel – 30&Over

# Glee Nette P. Gaddi

* GOLD – Female Vocal Gospel – Age 8-10
* GOLD – Female Vocal Open – Age 8-10
* GOLD – Female Vocal Pop – Age 8-10
* GOLD – Female Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – Age 8-10
* SILVER – Female Vocal Broadway – Age 8-10

# Manuel Enrico O. Sison

* GOLD – Male Vocal Gospel – Age 13-15
* SILVER – Male Vocal Broadway – Age 13-15
* SILVER – Male Vocal Contemporary – Age 13-15
* SILVER – Male Vocal Open – Age 13-15

# Mariangela Soleil F. Trinidad

* GOLD – Female Vocal R&b/soul/Jazz – 18-24
* GOLD – Female Vocal Rock – 18-24
* GOLD – Female Vocal Rock – 18-24
* SILVER – Female Vocal Broadway – 18-24
* SILVER – Female Vocal Broadway – 18-24
* BRONZE – Female Vocal Pop – 18-24

# Miguel Lorenzo O. Sison

* GOLD – Male Acting Open – Age 11-12
* SILVER – Male Vocal Contemporary – Age 11-12
* SILVER – Male Vocal Gospel – Age 11-12
* BRONZE – Male Vocal Broadway – Age 11-12

# Paolo Antonio C. Ledesma

* GOLD – Male Vocal Broadway – 30&Over
* GOLD – Male Vocal Contemporary – 30&Over
* GOLD – Male Vocal Contemporary – 30&Over
* SILVER – Male Vocal Opera – 30&Over
* BRONZE – Male Vocal Pop – 30&Over
* BRONZE – Male Vocal R&b/soul/Jazz – 30&Over
* BRONZE – Male Vocal Pop – 30&Over

# Rachel Isabella Razon

* BRONZE – Female Vocal Broadway – Age 13-15
* BRONZE – Female Vocal Contemporary – Age 13-15

# Reynaldo C. Concepcion

* GOLD – Male Vocal Open – 25-29
* GOLD – Male Vocal Open – 25-29
* SILVER – Male Vocal Broadway – 25-29
* SILVER – Male Vocal Contemporary – 25-29
* SILVER – Male Vocal Gospel – 25-29
* SILVER – Male Vocal Pop – 25-29
* SILVER – Male Vocal Broadway – 25-29
* SILVER – Male Vocal Contemporary – 25-29

# Roberto Luis O. Sison

* GOLD – Male Acting Open – Age 8-10
* GOLD – Male Vocal Broadway – Age 8-10
* GOLD – Male Vocal Gospel – Age 8-10
* SILVER – Male Vocal Open – Age 8-10
* SILVER – Male Vocal World – Age 8-10

# Rose Marielle T. Mamaclay

* GOLD – Female Vocal Broadway – 18-24
* GOLD – Female Vocal Contemporary – 18-24
* GOLD – Female Vocal Open – 18-24
* GOLD – Female Vocal Pop – 18-24
* GOLD – Female Vocal Broadway – 18-24
* SILVER – Female Vocal Rock – 18-24

# Sison Brothers

* GOLD – Group Vocal Open – Age 11-12
* GOLD – Group Vocal World – Age 11-12
* SILVER – Group Vocal Broadway – Age 11-12
* SILVER – Group Vocal Gospel – Age 11-12
* SILVER – Group Vocal Pop – Age 11-12

# Stephanie Denise E. Dos Santos

* GOLD – Female Vocal Broadway – Age 13-15
* GOLD – Female Vocal Country&Western – Age 13-15
* GOLD – Female Vocal Pop – Age 13-15
* SILVER – Female Vocal Rock – Age 13-15
* BRONZE – Female Vocal R&B/Soul/Jazz – Age 13-15

Why Marielle Corpuz Lost in WCOPA 2008? originally appeared on Starmometer on July 31, 2008.

Three Filipina junior contestants namely Stephanie “Tippy” Dos Santos (13 years old), Catherine Loria (13 years old) and Rachel Razon (13 years old) made it to the final round of the Junior Vocalist of the World competitions. The three will compete with each other, and with Courtney Mary Janssen of New Zealand, and Oleksandr Chernenko of Ukraine.

On the other hand, Marielle Corpuz (22 years old) is the sole senior contestant left for Team Philippines competing in the Senior Vocalist of the World competitions. Marielle will face Noryn Aziz of Malaysia, and Andrew Clarke of Jamaica in the Senior Solo Vocalist competition.

The four pinays went through endless rounds of competitions vying with hundreds of vocalists around the world. All four of them will vie for WCOPA’s major titles: the Grand Champion Vocalist of the World title, and the even more prestigious Grand Champion Performer of the World title (previously won by Jed Madela in 2005 and Aria Clemente in 2007).

Panky Trinidad, Dex De Rosa, Abegail Dorado, Glee Nette Gaddi, and the Sison brothers (Marek, Enzo, Ruiz) just made it to the semi-final round. They will receive semi-final round medals.

The rest of Team Philippines’ contestants this year failed to get ahead of the preliminary round.

Tippy singing “Alone” in the Rock Category:

Video Links:

Tippy Dos Santos – I Believe – WCOPA 2008

Catherine Loria – Stand Up for Love – WCOPA 2008

Tippy Dos Santos – Astonishing – WCOPA 2008

Tippy Dos Santos – Jesus Take the Wheel – WCOPA 2008

Tippy Dos Santos – Orange Colored Sky – WCOPA 2008

Marielle Corpuz – What Kind of Fool Am I? – WCOPA 2008

Catherine Loria – I Believe I Can Fly – WCOPA 2008

Marielle Corpuz – the Last Bet of the Philippines in WCOPA Senior Category

4 Pinay Singers Make It to WCOPA Finals originally appeared on Starmometer on July 24, 2008.

This year we have 15 singers competing against 5,000 acts from 40 countries.

Junior Contestants (15 and below):

Catherine Loria – A singer from Lucena
Cherry Palad – Trumpets Playshop alumna
Glee Nette Gaddi – our delegate to 2007 Korea Travel Fair in Korea
Rachel Razon – Fil-Am pop and r&n vocalist
Marek, Enzo and Ruiz Sison – musical theater actors
Tippy dos Santos – played Belle in Ateneo’s Beauty and the Beast

Senior Contestants:

CJ Concepcion – singing nurse from Manila
Dex de Rosa – played Thuy in Australian production of Miss Saigon
Abe Dorado – A pinay singer based in Italy
King – Star Record’s recording artist and Nina’s brother
Marielle Corpuz – a singer from Nueva Ecija
Paolo Ledesma – 3rd Avenue band’s lead vocalist
Panky Trinidad – a scholar of Pinoy Dream Academy season 1

The Philippines has been a force to be reckoned with since it joined the “talent Olympics” last 2005. Our delegates have been winning major awards for three years in a row beginning with Jed Madela in 2005, the Cercado Sisters in 2006 and Reymond Sajor and Aria Clemente in 2007.

Jed and Aria will grace this year’s event to perform. Jed will also seat as one of the judges in the senior vocalists competition.

Team Philippines Prepare for WCOPA 2008 originally appeared on Starmometer on July 7, 2008.