{"id":80687,"date":"2026-05-10T00:10:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T07:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=80687"},"modified":"2026-05-10T00:44:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T07:44:28","slug":"from-alumni-stage-to-public-platform-just-sing-it-finals-spotlight-youth-power-and-cultural-diversity-in-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=80687","title":{"rendered":"From Alumni Stage to Public Platform: \u201cJust Sing\u201d Finals Spotlight Youth Power and Cultural Diversity in Los Angeles"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LAPost \/ Arcadia, CA (May 9, 2026)<\/strong> \u2014 The Grand Final of the 7th \u201cJust Sing\u201d Vocal Competition, hosted by the Chinese University Alumni Association Alliance of Southern California (CUAAASC) and title-sponsored by the Clairina Foundation, was successfully held on May 9 in Arcadia. Marking its seventh year, the event introduced a major this year by opening participation to the broader public, while showcasing a distinctly younger generation of performers\u2014signaling a significant evolution of the platform.<\/p>\n

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\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

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\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

This year\u2019s competition featured contestants from diverse ethnic backgrounds and age groups, with performances spanning pop, opera, and multilingual repertoire. A clear trend emerged: youth-led, diverse, and expressive. In the pop category, 15-year-old high school student Tiger Herda won first prize with a powerful rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody<\/em>. In the opera category, Juliana Wang claimed first place with Stride La Vampa<\/em>. The youngest finalist, 10-year-old Julie Guo, earned second prize with her performance of Jun<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chen Yong, President of CUAAASC and Chair of the Organizing Committee, noted in his remarks that the alliance celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, while \u201cJust Sing\u201d marks its 7th edition. \u201cThis competition has grown from a platform for alumni engagement into an important cultural stage in Southern California. Through music, we aim to connect communities, inspire talent and dreams, and foster stronger collaboration within the Chinese American community,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

A defining feature of this year\u2019s event is its openness. Director Li Shan emphasized that the competition has expanded beyond the alumni network to welcome participants from all communities and ethnicities. \u201cWe hope to break the stereotype that Chinese Americans are \u2018quiet and reserved,\u2019 and instead showcase passion, creativity, and artistic expression. We also want society to see that we are not only contributors to the economy, but also builders of culture and community,\u201d she said. \u201cThrough music, different cultures can truly connect. When people from different backgrounds are moved by the same song on the same stage, prejudice can dissolve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The title sponsor, Clairina Foundation, further underscores the event\u2019s youth-driven vision. Founded by Chinese American high school student Carina Wu, the nonprofit focuses on youth empowerment and social responsibility, with multiple initiatives across education, equity, and public health. Foundation representative David Wu shared, \u201cOver the past seven years, \u2018Just Sing\u2019 has brought more than 1,000 contestants to the stage, many of them second- and third-generation Chinese Americans. We hope that by supporting this platform, more young people can express themselves through music and connect Chinese culture with the global stage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

The judging panel reflected both professionalism and international perspective. Jury Chair Sophia Wen praised the 24 finalists, stating, \u201cTheir vocal quality, natural tone, and stage professionalism are truly impressive. They are young, but already show great potential and a promising future.\u201d She noted that compared to earlier years, the contestants are now younger yet more refined in performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Music industry veteran Michael Mickey Duriel, who has worked within the Motown system, offered insight into today\u2019s evolving music landscape. \u201cWith the rise of AI, it\u2019s becoming harder for singers to stand out. But if they sing from the heart and tell meaningful stories, they can still rise above,\u201d he said. He encouraged contestants to persevere: \u201cLike the Olympics, you keep trying\u2014and eventually, your moment will come.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Michelle Patzakis, a teaching artist with the Los Angeles Opera and a member of the judging panel, described the competition as a platform of \u201cworld-class emerging talent.\u201d She added, \u201cEveryone who made it to this stage is already a winner. They have \u2018golden voices\u2019 and are learning how to communicate and connect with audiences through music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

The event also served as a bridge for cross-cultural exchange. Award recipient Bob Ampe, a non-Chinese speaker, performed a Chinese song and shared his experience: \u201cMusic helps me overcome language barriers and connect more deeply with the Chinese community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\uff08Photo by: Richard Ren\/LAPost)<\/p><\/div>\n

Since its launch in 2020, \u201cJust Sing\u201d has evolved from an alumni-centered gathering into a public-facing cultural brand. This year\u2019s transformation marks a new chapter\u2014one defined by inclusivity, diversity, and youth leadership. Driven by a new generation of voices, the stage is becoming a vibrant cultural bridge that connects communities, tells stories, and inspires shared understanding.<\/span><\/p>\n

(By\uff1aRichard Ren \/ LAPost)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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LAPost \/ Arcadia, CA (May 9,...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":80701,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-ca-local"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=80687"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80723,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80687\/revisions\/80723"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/80701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=80687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=80687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=80687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}