In its effort to support world-class talents, the Belo Medical Group recently presented two world champions — singer Jon Joven and pianist Angelo Ortiz — in a back-to-back concert, Black and White, at The Podium.
Mounting a concert in a mall is a first for Belo, which also has its clinic at the basement of The Podium. The invitational performance served as a special treat for Belo’s elite circle of Obagi Gold members, who got to watch and experience the world-class talents and their special guests.
“We decided to do something like this because we want to support these world-class talents who are very good,” says Dr. Vicki Belo of the performers. “They’ve won in an international contest in the States and we feel it’s about time people here get to witness the great talents of these artists.”
Joven started his musical career by winning first place in the All-State Music Competition in Winchita, Kansas. His popularity flourished as he performed internationally across America and also in Germany and Japan.
Jon was cast as Thuy in the German production of the Broadway musical, Miss Saigon. Locally, he had several appearances in the live stage performance with Lea Salonga and Ryan Cayabyab. He played the lead as Crisostomo Ibarra in Noli Me Tangere, for which he clinched an Aliw Award Best Actor nomination.
Jon is most proud of winning the gold medal (over all champion) in Broadway category and silver medal for classical opera in the World Championships of Performing Arts in Hollywood, California in August 2006.
Angelo, meanwhile, is not your ordinary instrumentalist and composer. Having Jim Chappell, Jim Brickman, Yanni and Maxim as strong influences in creating his own style, Angelo identified and classified his own music as “new age classical pop.” Being the only one in the country playing and composing under this musical genre, Angelo is considered as the “Youngest New Age Classical Pop Piano Instrumental Composer.”
Angelo also won two world titles as the overall instrumental world champion for classical and original works in the World Championships of Performing Arts in Hollywood, California. The prestigious competition of the performing arts drew over 50,000 participants from 50 different countries.