MANILA, Philippines—When not on duty as a nurse, Reynaldo “CJ” Concepcion can be found singing before corporate executives, teary-eyed brides, excited employees and homesick balikbayan at clan reunions.

And singing is one thing he does well. In July, Concepcion won one gold medal and four silvers at the 12th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Los Angeles, California.

Concepcion, 27, beat hundreds of talents from 40 countries in a weeklong competition considered to be the official “World Talent Championships” and “Hollywood Olympics” for aspiring performers and entertainers. Concepcion competed in the 25-29 age bracket.

He won the gold in the Male Vocal Open category, and four silver medals—for Male Vocal Broadway, Male Vocal Contemporary, Male Vocal Gospel and Male Vocal Pop.

His rendition of Taylor Hicks’ “Do I Make You Proud” won him the gold in the open category. His versions of “This is the Moment,” “Broken Vow,” “You Raise Me Up” and “Angels Brought Me Here” won him the silver in the Broadway, contemporary, gospel and pop categories.

A holder of a degree in nursing from the Philippine Rehabilitation Institute, Concepcion took a break from board review to compete at the WCOPA, where he was dubbed “the singing nurse from Manila.”

Passion for singing

Two other Filipino singers, Jed Madela and Aria Clemente, have won the grand championship of the WCOPA. Madela was grand champion (senior division) in 2005 and Clemente won the grand championship, junior division, in 2007.

Concepcion said his passion for singing was never a secret. He said classmates at his review classes would often ask him to sing as a break from the tedious sessions.

Concepcion said he spent his childhood singing with nurses. “I grew up singing for doctors and nurses,” he recalled.

As a child, he used to tag along when his mother, Carol, a nurse, went to work at Sta. Teresita General Hospital in Quezon City. During parties, Carol would show off her son’s talent for singing.

Boy with big voice

The hospital’s medical director, Dr. Teresita Sanchez, remembered Concepcion as “this little boy with a big voice who used to entertain us during Christmas parties.”

“Was I glad when I learned he had become an awarded singer—and a nurse at the same time,” Sanchez said.

Concepcion said he loved singing and nursing equally and would like to have a career in both, if possible.

If he spent four years in college for a nursing degree, he also spent many months at the John Robert Powers school for personality development in preparation for a show business career.

Place in the sun

Right now, Concepcion is waiting for the results of the nursing licensure examination.

His manager, Johnny Quintos, has also begun putting together a repertoire for his debut album. Quintos manages the new singer’s exposure in affairs outside of show biz, including invitations as wedding singer.

Quintos said he was planning a long-term singing career for Concepcion. None for him the flash-in-the-pan fame that seems to be the norm for show biz careers these days, he said.

“It’s a profession based on talent, not just fame and connections. CJ’s singing career will have to follow certain standards,” Quintos said.

In any event, Concepcion can always find his place in the sun as a nurse, one of the well-paying professions around.