HCM CITY — Composer Le Thanh Xuan won first prize in the song-with-chorus category in a composition contest last weekend in HCM City.
Xuan's song, The Tran CoLau, is about the childhood of Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang who was the founder of the Dinh dynasty during the 10th century.
The song Khong Chiu Tam (Refusing to Bathe) by HCM City's Trieu Dang was also a winner in the category for children's songs.
The first prize in the category for a song for pre-teens went to two teams of composers and lyricists.
The winning songs were Em Yeu Cao Nguyen (I Love the Highlands) with music by Truong Phap and lyrics by Lam Thang of Hue City, and Cong Cha Nghia Me (Parents' Merit), music by Tuan Khuong and lyrics by Lo Vu Van of northern Bac Giang Province.
The organisers, the Children's Culture House and HCM City Culture Centre, gave a book of 100 songs and music CDs of 14 winning songs to culture centres, children culture houses and schools in the city and neighbouring provinces and cities.
The seven-month-long contest attracted 591 works from 248 composers across the country.
Composer Nguyen Ngoc Thien, a member of the jury, said the entries were impressive, especially considering the paucity of quality children's songs.
Children are turning to older songs or albums meant for adults because of the lack of quality music for them.
There are few albums targeted at children and pre-teens, and most contain old songs sung by teenage singers Xuan Mai and Xuan Nghi when they were five to ten, while albums for teenagers and adults are skilfully performed and produced.
The few children's albums in the market are copies of originals or copies of copied older albums.
Composer Quang Long of Viet Nam Music Production said most albums were alike, and had only different packaging or accompaniments.
Quality albums like Xuan Mai's Con Co Be Be (Young Stork) and Xuan Nghi va Nhung Nguoi Ban (Xuan Nghi and Friends) are still bestsellers although they were released nearly 10 years ago. — VNS