Pinoy flutist winner

Pinoy flutist bags awards in Denmark's Carl Nielsen

Sandra Sotelo Aboy, ABS-CBN News

Apr 09 2019 

A Filipino flutist bagged awards at the prestigious Carl Nielsen International Competition held in Odense, Denmark.

Rafael Adobas, 21, won third place in the flute division and best interpretation of a new piece.

"It has been like a roller-coaster mix of emotions. I had only 2 months of preparation after receiving the invitation from the committee. Every performance was a different scenario and with different repertoire - from baroque music, classical, romantic, and contemporary," he told ABS-CBN News.

"I had to learn to be flexible each day of every round. I had to acquire a general overview on everything, and yet be totally focused on every piece that I was playing. I had to be sure of what I wanted to express through my music on the moment of my performance."

Rafael, who was born in Ibiza, Spain, took his passion for music after his father.

His father Margarito, who hails from Southern Leyte, used to be a guitarist.

Music is life for the Adobas family. Rafael’s eldest sister Isabel plays the piano while his younger sisters Mary Grace and Mary Jane plays the violin and saxophone, respectively.

Rafael is currently studying fourth year of Music Performance-Flute at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich in Germany. 

Out of the almost 500 applications received by Carl Nielsen contest, only 66 young musicians were invited to perform.

In the first round, Rafael won the the best interpretation prize for his passionate delivery of the commissioned piece written for the competition by Austrian composer Thomas Larcher. He took home €2,000.

Rafael played "Life" in the second round, drawing inspiration from the works of Carl Nielsen. His piece is an expression of life from birth to maturity in the company of family, friends, and church.

In the semifinal round, Rafael, together with Odense Symphony Orchestra, played flute concerto in E minor by Franz Benda.

For the finale, Rafael was accompanied by the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra as he played 2 movements from Mozart concerto and Carl Nielsen flute concerto. He won 3rd place and €8,000 cash.

“I dedicate this victory, firstly to my family. They have always been supportive to me from the very first day I held an instrument. And to the church, the Filipino community and everybody who followed and watched me through livestream in this wonderful journey," he said.

"I am proud to be a Filipino."

Miss International 2018 runner-up

Ahtisa Manalo is Ms International 2018 1st runner-up

Robert R. Requintina
Manila Bulletin
10 November 2018

Miss Philippines Ma. Ahtisa Manalo finished second in the Miss International 2018 beauty pageant in Tokyo, Japan Friday afternoon.

This is the first time that the Philippines won first runner-up in the 58-year history of the prestigious beauty contest.

Miss Philippines Athisa Manalo

Mariem Velazco of Venezuela was crowned Miss International 2018. Other winners were South Africa, 2nd runner-up; Romania, 3rd runner-up; and Colombia,4th runner-up.

In her speech, Manalo said: “If I will be lucky enough to be chosen as Miss International 2018, I will continue to be the voice of the youth and let them know that nothing is impossible with hard work and determination.”

Earlier, Filipino pageant fans went wild as soon as Manalo made it to the Top 15 of the contest, making the Miss International pageant one of the trending topics on social media on Friday afternoon.

Supporters of the 21-year-old beauty queen also cheered when Manalo confidently paraded in her national costume, swimsuit, and evening gown.

Other delegates who made it to the Top 15 were Romania, Mexico, Ecuador, Thailand, Australia, Paraguay, Japan, Indonesia, Ukraine, Spain and Madagascar.

From 15, Manalo made the cut to the Top 8 along with Japan, Romania, Ecuador, Colombia, Spain, South Africa, and Venezuela.

A total of 77 candidates competed in this year’s Miss International pageant.

The Philippines already won six times in the beauty tilt. Other Filipina winners were Gemma Cruz (1964), Aurora Pijuan (1970), Melanie Marquez (1979), Precious Lara Quigaman (2005), Bea Rose Santiago (2013) and Kylie Verzosa (2016).

A big fan of crime-busting television series “Charlie’s Angels,” Manalo says she wanted to become a police officer when she was young but her parents did not approve of it.

Instead, she earned a degree in accountancy from the Manuel S. Enverga University in Candelaria, Quezon. In 2016, she was crowned Binibining Niyogyugan.

Manalo said her favorite beauty queen is 2005 Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman.

Asia's Next Top Model Runner-up

Filipina Adela-Mae Marshall finishes among top 3 in Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 6

By Gianna Llanes
Philippine Canadian Inquirer
24 October 2018

Filipino-British model Adela-Mae Marshall, representing the Philippines in Cycle 6 of Asia’s version of Tyra Bank’s popular reality show America’s Next Top Model, completes her Asia’s Next Top Model journey among the top three finalists. Adela was one of two Filipinas representing the country during the reality show, joined by 19-year-old Jach Manere.

ADELA-MAE MARSHALL. Picture: Asia's Next Top Model/Facebook

After the release of the show’s season finale last Wednesday, October 24, Adela shares with fans how she felt about her performance throughout the show. In an Instagram post, Adela says, “And then there was 1.” She also gives a message to her co-finalists, adding, “Congratulations Dana, you absolutely went #BeyondLimits and I couldn’t be happier for you. Mia, what can I say? We put up a good fight but we are too good at being runners-up. I’m proud of us regardless.”

PHILIPPINES: Adela Mae Marshall and Jachin Manere

For her mentors, Adela sends this message, “To Cindy Sirinya and Yu Tsai, thank you for guiding and molding us throughout the whole competition. Thank you for seeing something in me I couldn’t even see myself and hopefully, this won’t be the last of me you see!”

Adela ends her social media caption with a message to her Filipino fans, saying in the country’s language, “Before, I said ‘Laban Pilipinas’ and even though I didn’t win now, I will continue to try and represent the Philippines in the best way I can.” Her final statement says, “Thank you so much for your support. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring home the title for a back-to-back win,” referring to Cycle 5’s winner Filipina Maureen Wroblewitz, continuing, “I hope I was able to show you that am ‘pusong Pinoy’. I hope I was able to represent the Philippines well.”

Ultimately, the MAIN title was won by Team Thailand, this time represented by Dana Slosar, who will be receiving her own Subaru XV, a cover and spread on Harper’s Bazaar Thailand, an avatar in the show’s mobile game, and a modeling contract with Storm Model management in London.