{"id":78774,"date":"2016-07-19T07:14:04","date_gmt":"2016-07-19T11:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=78774"},"modified":"2016-07-19T07:14:04","modified_gmt":"2016-07-19T11:14:04","slug":"spotlight-college-president-compete-world-karaoke-championships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2016\/07\/19\/spotlight-college-president-compete-world-karaoke-championships\/","title":{"rendered":"In the spotlight: College president to compete in World Karaoke Championships"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"With<\/a>
With the 14th Karaoke World Championships (KWC) to be held in Canada\u2019s Edgewater Casino on November 1 to 6, Dang will be up against other amateur singers from the United States, Spain, Panama, Singapore, and the Philippines, among other participating countries. (Contributed photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A former cover band vocalist in his early 20s, belting out hits of Michael Jackson, Queen, and Toto, to name a few, Patrick Dang is now a respected college president of British Columbia\u2019s biggest and oldest private college. Despite already establishing a name in the education sector, the 59-year-old singer-musician is not about to put his microphone down just yet as he will be representing Canada in the largest and most prestigious karaoke competition in the world.<\/p>\n

In the 1970s, Dang was the lead singer of Vision, a rock \u2018n\u2019 roll band in Johannesburg that played covers in weddings and other gigs. After the group got disbanded when he was 24 years old, the singer continued with his life, got married, and started a family of four.<\/p>\n

In the mid-1990s, Dang and his family immigrated to Canada. Setting aside his professional music career, he pursued a job in the corporate world, worked his way up, and eventually became the president of B.C.\u2019s Sprott Shaw College. Still with an undying passion for music, Dang built a studio in his home\u2019s basement, complete with a drum kit, guitars, and some amplifiers as well. He managed the school during the day and sang his heart out at night.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the day, I\u2019m 150 percent involved in what I do as President at Sprott Shaw. And once I get home, I would go into my studio and spend a couple hours just enjoying and being myself,\u201d he shared in a CTV News report.<\/p>\n

Learning about the qualifying round of the annual B.C. Karaoke Championships, Dang decided to go back to the music world by joining the 10 week-long competition. He made it as far as the semifinals in his first attempt and reached the national competition in his second. For the third time around, the rock star finally won Men\u2019s Champion on July 7 at Vancouver\u2019s Two Lions Public House and got a spot to compete in the finals, impressing the judges and audience alike with his renditions of Queen\u2019s \u201cWho Wants to Live Forever,\u201d Seal\u2019s \u201cLove\u2019s Divine,\u201d and One Republic\u2019s \u201cSecrets\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cMick Jagger hasn\u2019t retired. And so, why shouldn\u2019t we come back and do the same thing? I decided, there\u2019s never a better time to go back and express myself through my music,\u201d he said in the same report.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t easy for Dang at first, but he was determined to compete even with the younger group of singers and step up his performances with every song he sang.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got up, sang a few notes, I remember thinking to myself, that was way more difficult than it was supposed to be,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n

With the 14th Karaoke World Championships (KWC) to be held in Canada\u2019s Edgewater Casino on November 1 to 6, Dang will be up against other amateur singers from the United States, Spain, Panama, Singapore, and the Philippines, among other participating countries. The other Canadians who will compete in the KWC are Allison Cociani (Ladies\u2019 Champion), and Daniel and Burnaby Escobar (Duet Champions).<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to pursue music\u2026 Now in my 50\u2019s, I decided to go back to my love of music. KWC has allowed me to relive my younger years and make up for lost time. I love it and feel that singing is truly an extension of who I am as a person,\u201d the singer said.<\/p>\n

If Dang wins the international competition finals, will he take the spotlight again and give his music career a second try?<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the right opportunity came\u2026 I\u2019m 59. What are you going to do one day when you look back? I don\u2019t want to say \u2018I wish I had.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Tickets, VIP passes and hotel packages for KWC Vancouver 2016 are available at kwcvancouver2016.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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