Gerphil Flores

Gerphil Geraldine Flores[1][2] is a German-Filipino classical crossover singer. In 2015, she joined the inaugural season of Asia's Got Talent, where she finished as second runner-up. A soprano,[3] she was dubbed "Asia's Golden Girl."[4][5]

Gerphil Flores
Background information
Birth nameGerphil Flores
Born (1990-09-29) 29 September 1990
Hamburg, Germany
OriginGermany
GenresClassical crossover, classical
InstrumentsVocals (soprano)
Years active2001–present
Associated actsDavid Foster

Personal life
Gerphil Flores celebrating her 26th Birthday with a concert at Music Museum

Flores was born in Hamburg, Germany[6] to a German father and a Filipino mother of Chinese, Japanese and Spanish descent from the Philippines.[6]

Career

Formative years, training and education

As an infant, Flores' parents regularly brought her to the German opera houses.[7] By the age of three, she began singing songs composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (the aria "Queen of The Night" from The Magic Flute is one of the songs) and Ludwig van Beethoven.[7]

After they relocated to the Philippines in 1994, Flores' love for music was further encouraged and nurtured by her family of music lovers, notably her maternal grandfather, a skilled Kundiman guitarist and her mother, who listened to different genres of music, including classical, Broadway, and jazz.[7]

At age 11, Flores decided to pursue a career in music. She would sing everyday and her mother would listen and observe if her daughter had hit the right pitch, or sounded flat or sharp.[7]

To further hone her singing, Flores had voice lessons under New York City-based soprano Evelyn Mandac during the latter's trips to Manila.[8] Upon Mandac's advice, Flores started to formally study voice under University of the Philippines College of Music Associate Professor Katherine "Kitchy" Molina, a former chair of the university's voice, music theater, and dance department, where Flores graduated with a diploma in creative performing musical arts and majored in voice.[9]

Flores at the University of the Philippines Diliman, in 2016

On 26 June 2016, Flores graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in music (major in voice)[10] and a diploma in creative performing musical arts from the College of Music, University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City.[11][12] She made it to the dean's list (college scholar) in the first semester of academic school year 2015–16, with a general weighted average of 1.468.[13][14]

Theatre and opera years

Since age 11, Flores joined several musical and opera productions. She was the lead child performer in the Philippine Opera Company's children's adaptation of Mozart's The Magic Flute.[9]

Her credits also include Repertory Philippines’ The Sound of Music, Trumpets’ High School Musical and First Name, María Clara in Noli Me Tángere, Mary in Fides Cuyugan-Asencio's Song of Joseph and Maria Makiling in Legend of M, and Gregoria de Jesús in Jerry Dadap's Andres Bonifacio.[9]

As an opera performer, her credits include playing Anne Page in the opera production of UP College of Music's Merry Wives of Windsor and as Cio-Cio San and Kate Pinkerton alternates in Music Artes’ production of Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay.[9] She also assayed the role of Rusalka in Antonin Dvorak's opera of the same name at the same venue on September 2014;[15] this performance earned her an Aliw Award nomination as Best Actress in a Musical at the 28th Aliw Awards.[16]

Asia's Got Talent

On 28 September 2014, the 24-year-old Flores pre-auditioned for the inaugural season of Asia's Got Talent, the regional version of the Got Talent franchise, as Gerphil Flores and advanced to the televised audition.[17][18] Her televised audition aired on AXN Asia on 9 April 2015, where she sang "Speak Softly, Love" from the film The Godfather. Flores' performance was praised and earned her a standing ovation from both the audience and the four judges, particularly Canadian musician and record producer David Foster who praised her pitch, saying: "You certainly did not disappoint anybody in this room. It was really a solid performance. And your pitch is great, and I hate people who sing out of tune. You sang really in tune." With three of the judges voting yes, Foster pressed the golden buzzer, automatically sending her to the semifinals.[19]

In the semi-final round held on 23 April 2015, Flores performed an operatic ballad version of the song "Love Story (Where Do I Begin?)" from the film Love Story, which elicited another standing ovation. Foster continued to praise her voice, saying that he could make her sound better if she would work with him, while English singer-songwriter and former Spice Girls member Melanie C said that she "deserved to be on the world stage" and Indonesian singer Anggun said that "she looked like a real diva" that night.[20] On 30 April 2015, the show revealed that Flores was one of two acts from the previous week (the other being Mongolian musical ensemble Khusugtun) that had advanced to the finals through the public vote.[21]

In the final round on 7 May 2015, Flores performed her version of "The Impossible Dream" (Mitch Leigh) from the musical Man of La Mancha. After another standing ovation, Foster promised Flores that "the world is going to know about you."[22] At the results episode, aired on AXN Asia on 14 May 2015, after a tally of audience votes, Flores garnered the third highest votes among 12 finalists, after eventual grand champion, Filipino dance group El Gamma Penumbra, and runner-up, Khusugtun. She finished second runner-up in a field of 4,000 hopefuls.

Concerts and tours

On 11 December 2015, Flores had her first major solo concert, A Golden Treasure, at The Theatre at Solaire along the Bay City area of Parañaque. The concert featured songs from different genres that displayed her diversity as a classical-crossover performer; it also featured a live accompaniment by the Manila Symphony Orchestra, duets with McDonald's Philippines and Klassikal Music Foundation's George Yang, balladeer Nonoy Zuñiga and her dance number with Junior New System.[2][23] This concert won the Aliw Awards 2016' Best Major Concert (Female).[24]

The success of her first concert led to her pre-Valentine's Day solo concert, Tales of Love, at the same venue on 11 February–12, 2016. The concert featured love songs from different genres and languages with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, Junior New System and singers Kris Gonzales, Al Gatmaitan, Jack Salud and singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan.[25]

Flores on her 26th birthday concert at the Music Museum, 2016.

Flores was tapped by Asia's Got Talent judge David Foster to be part of his David Foster and Friends Asian Tour for 2015–16; she made her debut at the Hitman Tour at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on 17 August 2015, performing alongside Ruben Studdard, Natalie Cole, Charice Pempengco, Boyz II Men and Mark Mabasa.[26][27]

Flores celebrated her 26th birthday with a soldout solo concert, Gerphil at 26, at The Music Museum on 29 September 2016.[28] The concert featured a diverse set list; the repertoire covered hits from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, current songs of 2016, and even went as far back as the 1800s. Some she sang with her famous classical style; others she rendered with pop and jazz inflections, accompanied by the Manila Symphony Orchestra.[29] The concert also featured performances from Daryl Ong and Clem Castro.

Magazine covers

After her stint at Asia's Got Talent, Flores was featured in the cover of the June 2015 issue of The Philippine Star’s GIST magazine[30] and the July 2015 issue of Manila Bulletin’s Publishing's Sense & Style magazine.[31]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Result Source
2009 Aliw Award Best Female Classical Performer Nominated [32]
2010 Nominated [33]
2011 Nominated [34]
2013 Best Crossover/Broadway Performer Won [35]
2014 Best Female Classical Performer Won [36]
2015 Gawad Musika Most Promising International Performing Artist Won
2015 Eastwood City Walk of Fame Star Won [37]
2015 Aliw Award Best Female Crossover Performer Won [16]
Best Female Classical Performer Won [16]
Entertainer of the Year Won [16]
Best Actress in A Musical (Rusalka/NCCA/CCP) Nominated [38]
2016 Aliw Award Best Crossover Performer Won [24]
Best Female Major Concert (A Golden Treasure, Theatre at Solaire) Won [24]
gollark: I assume the 0/1/infinite solution thing is from something something linear algebra.
gollark: Ah. So the matrix maps the values of all the variables to the outputs of each equation, and the same output can be attained in multiple ways sometimes.
gollark: No, I mean how do you use that to get intuition for number of solutions of some equations.
gollark: I've seen it with intersecting lines/planes(/hyperplanes), how does it work to interpret it as a transformation?
gollark: I don't think it tries to clarify the actual underlying foundational stuff much.

References
  1. Tomada, Nathalie (25 May 2015). "Gerphil: No hard feelings towards Kris, Ai-Ai". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  2. del Valle, Precious (13 December 2015). "Gerphil Flores on solo show, critics, and Kris Aquino". Rappler. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  3. Sanchez, Giselle. "Things you may not know about Gerphil". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  4. "Asia's Got Talent Interview: Gerphil Geraldine Flores". AXN Asia. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  5. Don Cuaresma (10 May 2015). "Why Ai-Ai and Kris eliminated Gerphil Geraldine Flores during the PGT Semi-finals – The Philippine Pride". The Philippine Pride. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  6. Basmayor, MV (May 2015). "Sorsoganon Gerphil Flores seeks Asia's Got Talent win". Bicol Standard. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  7. Salazar, Margaux (July 2015). "Stellar". Sense & Style. Manila Bulletin Publishing.
  8. Gojo, Rommel (29 May 2015). "An Encounter with Gerphil Flores and her Teacher". University of the Philippines College of Music.
  9. Concert Orchestra, Metro Manila (7 August 2015). The Romantic Rachmaninoff (Concert Programme). Philippines. p. 7.
  10. Pilipinas, Unibersidad ng (2016). Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman Ika-105 Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos Souvenir Program. UP Diliman. p. 138.
  11. Anarcon, James Patrick (22 April 2015). "Asia's Got Talent semi-finalist Gerphil Flores wants to spread interest in classical music". Philippine Entertainment Portal. GMA Network Inc. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  12. Portal, Philippine Entertainment (26 June 2016). "Gerphil Flores graduates cum laude from UP Diliman, finishes two degrees". GMA News. GMA.
  13. "Gerphil Flores makes it to the Dean's List of UP College of Music". GMA News. 30 March 2016.
  14. "Gerphil graduates cum laude from UP College of Music". ABS-CBN News. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  15. "CCP & UP College of Music premiere Dvorak opera Rusalka". Cultural Center of the Philippines. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  16. "Pinoy Performers Shine at 28th Aliw Awards". The Manila Times. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  17. "'Asia's Got Talent' holds audition in Manila". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  18. "ASIA'S GOT TALENT AT PINEWOOD ISKANDAR MALAYSIA STUDIOS". Pinewood Group. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  19. Mendoza, Arvin; Corrales, Nestor (10 April 2015). "Filipina classical singer earns raves, 'golden buzzer' in 'Asia's Got Talent'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  20. "Gerphil Flores Wows Judges on Asia's Got Talent Semi-finals". Zeibiz. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  21. "PH singer Gerphil Flores advances to 'Asia's Got Talent' grand finals". Rappler. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  22. Got Talent, Asia's (8 May 2015). "Gerphil Flores: Finalist AGT8". Asia's Got Talent.
  23. MUSIC CHANNEL, MYX (8 December 2015). "MYXclusive: GERPHIL FLORES Talks About Her Upcoming Concert!". MYXPH.COM.
  24. "Lea Salonga Wins Entertainer of the Year at Aliw Awards 2016". ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN Corporation. 2 December 2016.
  25. Topacio, Ferdinand (27 February 2016). "As usual, Gerphil didn't disappoint". The Philippine Star.
  26. Villano, Alexa (19 August 2015). "8 unforgettable moments from 'David Foster and Friends' Manila concert". Rappler.
  27. "Gerphil and Mark Sing at Foster's Concert". ABS-CBN News. 19 August 2016.
  28. "Gerphil at 26: The Birthday Concert". Music Museum.
  29. Pulido, Aleck (14 October 2016). "Gerphil Flores Proves Her Versatility During Her Soldout Birthday Concert". Billboard Philippines.
  30. Tibajia, Chonx (June 2015). "Gerphil's Got Talent". The Philippine Star.
  31. Rodriguez, Bea (2 July 2015). "Gerphil Flores Graces Lifestyle Magazine Cover". GMA Network News.
  32. "List of 22nd Aliw Awards nominees". The Philippine Star. 15 November 2009. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  33. Foundation, Aliw Awards (19 October 2010). 23rd Aliw Awards Program (2010 ed.). Aliw Awards Foundation.
  34. Foundation, Aliw Awards (14 November 2011). 24rd Aliw Awards Program (2011 ed.). Aliw Awards Foundation.
  35. "Mitoy on a roll, wins at 26th Aliw Awards". ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN Corporation. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  36. "Jed is 2014 Aliw Awards Entertainer of the Year". The Philippine Star. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  37. Ramos, NR (2 December 2015). "AlDub, Enrique Gil, among others earn Walk Of Fame star". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  38. "Nominees for 2015 Aliw Awards Announced".

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