A stellar performance at the final round.

In the past nine years, children in the district have had opportunities to join useful activities within the framework of the BAGICO summer camp. Love-duet singing teaching and popularising is the most ebullient activity. From 40 items with 100 children, the organising board chose 15 most excellent performances to enter the final round.

Before the opening ceremony, little “lien anh” (brothers) and “lien chi” (sisters) were ostentatious in traditional clothes at the stage’s two wings. A line-up of long and difficult songs were successfully delivered by the children, including “Nam nhi”, “Cai hoi cai a”, “Xuoi nguoc song Cau”, “Nguyet gac mai dinh” and “Doi ben bac me cung gia”.

The performances won the applause of the audiences. Six-year-old Nguyen Ngoc Phan Anh from Minh Duc commune, the smallest singer in the contest, won the spectators’ heart from the first lilting melody of the ancient “Ly cay da”. The item was then presented with a special award.

Taking Phan Anh to the singing contest, Nguyen Anh Tu, a teacher from Minh Duc No. 2 Primary School, said that Phan Anh was taught love-duet singing by his grandparents when he was four years old. Discovering his aptitude, teachers at the Minh Duc No. 2 Primary School provided him with more singing techniques and knowledge. Phan Anh has actively joined in love-duet singing not only at school but also in his locality.

The children’s innocence in performances touched the hearts of the audiences. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuc, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Director of the BAGICO JSC, said that in the past nine years, the contest has drawn the participation of nearly 2,000 children.

Along with creating a useful playground for children during the summer, the contest has made contributions to preserving and promoting traditional values, encouraging patriotism among the children. As this year event lured many children, the organising board affirmed that younger generations do not turn their back on traditional culture. BAGICO committed to accompanying with the district’s authorities to organise further summer camps.

This year’s contest saw a lot of improvements in quality and professionalism. The contestants made meticulous preparations, from clothes, makeup to performing skills, before going on to the stage. Winners in the previous events did not join the contest, giving momentum to others to practice in order to gain better achievements. If many children chose new love-due songs in the past eight contests, they selected ancient songs to perform in this year’s competition.

The contest wrapped up with “Gia ban” (goodbye) song. Cultural officials, parents, audience and children are looking forwards to the next summer to deliver traditional love-duet singing performances.

Nguyen Huong