Viet Nam News
HCMCITY — A songbook for children composed by Nguyen Van Chung has been released in HCM City to meet the demand of young audiences this summer.
The book, 100 Songs for Children, features songs about childhood, family, friends, school and country.
It includes beautiful pictures and sheet music to help young readers learn how to sing and play instruments.
“I hope my book can help enhance children’s love of music,” said Trung, 34, who spent more than three years composing and editing the songs.
The book also has a CD featuring the voices of students from music clubs at cultural houses for children.
Featured songs, such as Gia Dinh Nho, Hanh Phuc To (Small Family, Great Love) and Nhat Ky Cua Me (Mom’s Diary), are performed by pop singer Khanh Ngoc and child singers Trang Thu and Bao An.
Nhat Ky Cua Me, one of Chung’s most popular songs, has been included on two CDs by Casa Musica, a music company in Germany.
The song is ranked 10th on the CD The Best of Ballroom Music Vol 36, which features 45 works performed by popular artists and bands from different countries.
The song was performed by Hien Thuc, a pop stars in HCM City who began her career when she was a child.
The song was discovered by a member of Casa Musica’s production board, who first heard it at a Viet Nam-Germany cultural exchange event.
The producer contacted Chung to sign a contract to include the song on the album, which was a successful follow-up to the The Best of Ballroom Music series produced by Casa Musica.
Casa Musica paid the composer a copyright payment of US$500.
The CD series, released by distributor Mailoder in 2015, is popular among dancers, dance teachers and musicians worldwide.
Many young listeners appreciate Chung’s creative ability to mix different musical genres. His music combines traditional and modern styles, using Vietnamese folk elements.
He has composed several hundred songs, including top hits such as Vang Trang Khoc (Tears of the Moon), Chiec Khan Gio Am (Beautiful Scarf) and Chuyen Tinh Duoi Mua (Love in Rain).
His songs have been performed by pop stars like Ho Ngoc Ha and Ho Quynh Huong. — VNS