AcapellaGO wins Akapela Open

MANILA, Philippines - A quintet of young singers from Malolos, Bulacan won the grand prize in the first National Akapela Open held last Oct. 30 at the Meralco Theater.

The ensemble AcapellaGO — composed of Trishia Marie Ilingan, Daniel Briones, Avin Laderas, JC Arizapa and Ron Laderas — are students of Bulacan State University and members of its Saring Himig Chorale. The group took home a cash prize of P250,000 and a trophy in the competition presented by The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab with the PLDT Smart Foundation and One Meralco Foundation. AcapellaGo sang a cleverly arranged mash-up of OPM songs with the theme Jeepney, plus a certified APO hit Magkayakap sa Dilim which brought the house down.

The first runner-up trophy and cash prize of P150,000 was won by Pinopela, an octet from Baguio City whose singers are former members of the Saint Louis University Glee Club. Pinopela sang a medley of current radio hits, plus the song Sa May Bintana originally sung by former Smokey Mountain member James Coronel. The group 1415 from Diliman, singing an Eraserheads classic Alapaap, not only bagged the second runner-up trophy and P100,000 in cash, but also won for singing members Enz Sta. Juana and Nici Bulaong the Best Arranged OPM Song. The group took home an additional P50,000 for the original arrangement.

Of the nine finalists that took part in the contemporary a cappella group competitions, four were from Mindanao, three were from Metro Manila and the two were from central and north Luzon.

The a cappella ensembles from Mindanao who made it to the national finals were FiVIBE, a mixed-voice quintet from Davao City; W/Plesha, an all-male sextet, also from Davao City; D’Trendz from Digos City in Davao; and the Xavier University Glee Club Showstoppers composed of 12 students from Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City.

All the non-winners brought home a consolation cash prize worth P30,000 each plus trophies crafted and donated by Philex Mines Corporation.