For the past nine weeks, ABS-CBN has been introducing the
potential scholars of Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2via a segment
integrated with the Saturday edition of Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition
Plus. This primer, hosted by Yeng Constantino, introduced the 32 PDA
dreamers—with all of them giving the public a sample of their own brand of
music.
According to PDA business unit head Lauren Dyogi, over
10,000 people worldwide auditioned for the second season of PDA.
This season's hosts are Toni Gonzaga, Nikki Gil and the newest Kapamilya star
Billy Crawford. Toni will be seen hosting the primetime edition, Nikki will
deliver updates that will be aired two to three times a day, while Billy will
be seen in the afternoon update dubbed as Uberture.
The 16 PDA scholars will train under new Headmaster Ryan Cayabyab (who
takes over the reins from Jim Paredes); Performance Master Joey Reyes; UP
College of Music Voice and Music Theater chairman and this season's Voice
Master Kitchy Molina; and Voice Mentor Monet Silvestre.
One of the modifications of PDA Season 2 is the addition of a live-in mentor who will be staying with the dreamers as they train to be excellent singers. "I want to emphasize something new here in PDA. Merong live-in na mentor and that is Hagrid," joked Maestro Ryan Cayabyab. Hagrid is the kind giant who is part of the Harry Potter series. "Si Teacher Monet ang live-in mentor. This is something that you should look forward to because this is a different take on the new PDA."
What are the mentors looking for in the new PDA grand star dreamer?
"Let's get real," says Direk Joey. "It's not enough that you sing well—you have to be a star. In other words, people you can sell. Do looks count? Being good-looking counts definitely but if you are not exactly blessed by nature, then you won't be deprived of the chance to improve yourself. We are looking at this in a very realistic manner.
"In the process of selection, we know those who have a strong chance of making it and that matters a lot in the auditions. Let's face it, dito sa ating bansa, sa bawat kanto may magaling kumanta. Dito rin sa ating bansa, kailangan mong lumakbay sa mga probinsiya para makahanap ng isang star."
PDA headmaster Ryan Cayabyab explains the grading
system that the scholars will have to undergo when they enter the Academy.
"We all come from the academe. Kitchy, Joey, and myself, lahat kami nagturo.
Among all of us, we could log in some 50 years in the academe. In fact, Monet
was my student in music composition while Kitchy teaches classical music in the
University of the Philippines College of Music.
"Sanay kami sa structure. When I talk to them, meron kaming goals na sine-set at yun ang pupuntahan namin na goals. We will push them to get to those goals. Ang grading system nila ay based kung maaabot nila ang standards na sine-set namin. I talked to Lauren and I said I want a developmental curriculum."
Despite all these lessons and the training given by PDA mentors, they are quick to point out that real success depends mainly on the singer.
LITTLE DREAMERS. Direk Lauren also mentioned that they are planning to come up with a junior version of Pinoy Dream Academy so that children that are 6-10 years old may take advantage of the training offered by the Academy. "Ibang teachers and magtuturo sa kanila pero Headmaster Ryan will check in on them from time to time. Pupunta sila doon [sa Academy] on Friday afternoon and on weekends. This program will start probably a month after the beginning of PDA."
Get to meet the lucky 16 scholars of Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2 by
watching the special casting week of The Dream BIGins that will run from
June 9-13, right after My Girl on Primetime Bida. This will culminate
with the opening night of PDA that will be held live at the concert hall on
June 14, Saturday.