Catherine Loria … Her Shining Moment In Hollywood via WCOPA 2008

No one ever knows how once destiny’s will strike in a particular time and in a particular moment. Catherine’s triumph in the recently concluded World Championships Of Performing Arts or better known as WCOPA (an Olympics for different form of Arts and Music) held at Westin Bonaventure Hotel in South Figueroa, Hollywood, California, USA is definitely a golden moment to be treasured for the rest of her life.

Unknown to many, Catherine’s passion for music was started at a very tender age of two. She even started humming tunes when she was only 1 year old, an indication that a potential star is soon be developed. Trained by her parents, her mother (Evelyn Ilagan) who met her father (Noel Loria) in amateur singing contest, no doubt that this great teen will always emerge as a winner in many singing competitions whether on TVs or just in a small competitions in nearby provinces of Laguna, Batangas and Quezon. Her mother provided the vocal coaching while her father provided the articulation in performing her music in the contest. Catherine has been financially supported by her uncle and Godfather (Mart Ilagan) an Engineer based from Singapore. Her uncle searched in the Internet about the audition and the procedures in joining to the WCOPA. When she was selected by STAGES under the management of Carlo Orosa, Catherine’s family are quite hesitant to pursue in joining the contest due to the huge amount needed to raise and knowing that upon winning in this contest, no monetary involvement will be given by the organizer. But Catherine’s uncle from Singapore was very positive that Catherine’s talent will be noticed internationally so he was the one who decided that she must be joining in the contest whether to win or not to win, this is one big opportunity that only came once in a lifetime.
With a very limited time of preparation, everything wasn’t easy. Song selection must fit for her age and the song must be arranged into 1 minute performance without losing the essence of the songs. Catherine must need to apply a US visa and do a fundraising for her two-week trip to US for the air fare, food, accommodation and entire expenses in the contest. Due to limited resources and the fear that her parents might not be able to grant US visa immediately, her uncle took leave from his job in Singapore to accompany Catherine on her quest to capture the world title.
Catherine went through a strict diet and proper exercise to increase her stamina and strengthen her vocal chords in a one-month training prepared by her parents. Her uncle, who is also a songwriter and music mentor in Singapore did the polishing of her 5 contest pieces in different genre of music before the contest will begin in Hollywood.

More than 40 countries joined in vocal solo, vocal group, dance solo, dance group, instrumentalist, modeling, acting and variety acts. Junior contestants ages from 5 to 15 were all talented and amazing, competition is quite tight as the piece that the contestants to show their wits and talents is a standard one-minute Hollywood audition type. Catherine passed through a one day grueling elimination round and almost catching breathe for every announcement if she will be moving to the next round. With God on her side, she moved to semi-final and to the grand finals with mixed emotion. The big ballroom during the announcement of the grand finalists for all act categories was filled with cheering, laughter and tears.

Catherine is a type of kid who is very naive and quiet which had been noticed by many in Hollywood, but actually she kept on praying and praying for a guidance and help to the Lord every time her name is being called in the stage. Her uncle always gave her a sign to keep the faith and always remind her just to believe on herself and believe that God will grant all her wishes. She was dubbed in Hollywood as the SILENT DYNAMITE ‘silent type but she is like a bomb or a dynamite when she is already performing in the stage'.

She performed 5 songs in 5 different genre on music during the elimination round, REFLECTION (Musical / Broadway) version of Christina Aguilera, JESUS TAKES THE WHEEL (Country) by Carrie Underwood, HIS EYE IS ON SPARROW (Gospel) by Lauren Hill, WHEN YOU BELIEVE (Pop) by Mariah Carey and I BELIEVE I CAN FLY (Jazz / R&B) a version of Yolanda Adams. The panel of judges had chosen her POP entry When You Believe during the semi-final round and her uncle Mart had chosen ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ a stronger piece for her during the Grand Finals.

It has been unexpected win for Catherine and for the Philippines. When the host announced that the ‘Junior Vocalist Of The World’ is Catherine Loria, the crowd applauded and cheered in agreement but when Catherine got the highest award being given by WCOPA as the ‘Junior Grand Champion Performer Of The World’, the crowd went out crazy in happiness, some was expecting that the award will go to Guatemala because they had already received two major awards as the Junior Group Vocalist of the World and the Junior Instrumentalists of the World, but to everyone’s surprised, this award went to Catherine for the Philippines.

Catherine Loria’s name is already written in history, this is her destiny. She brought not only the honor for Philippines but also a very good example for all aspiring talents to believe that dreams really happen.
She is just 13 years old, having an enormous talent, Catherine Loria will still go beyond what we can imagine … watch out for her … Congratulations!