The new impetus for the City's Nightingale Singing Contest.

Following the merger, a children's singing competition in Hai Phong city has taken on a new look, with a larger scale and more professional organization.

85 contestants participated in the final round of the competition.

A tradition spanning over 30 years.

The "Singing Contest" has a history of over 30 years in Hai Phong, organized annually by the City Youth Union and the Department of Education and Training. The Children's Cultural Palace (formerly) is the permanent organizing unit of the contest. Over the years, the contest has contributed to nurturing many musical talents, serving as the starting point for mature singers who have made their mark in the art world, such as Ngoc Huyen, Ha Minh Tien, and Luu Hien Trinh…

Alongside this, in Hai Duong province in the past, the children's art movement also developed with many music playgrounds, contributing to the discovery and nurturing of talents such as Thuy Chi, Nguyen Viet Khoa…

Following the merger of Hai Duong and Hai Phong , the synergy between the two platforms has created a large pool of contestants for this year's competition, titled "Hai Phong Children's Singing Contest - Nightingale".

The judging panel included Meritorious Artist Thanh Tâm; and singers Khắc Triệu, Cẩm Vân, Đào Tố Loan...

The 2025-2026 academic year marks a special milestone with the merger of three units under the Hai Phong City Youth Union: the Hai Phong Youth Sports and Culture Center, the Hai Phong Children's Culture Center, and the Hai Duong Provincial Children's Culture Center, into the Hai Phong Youth and Children's Culture Center. This creates favorable conditions for the competition to have more room for development.

At the City Youth Cultural Palace, the final round and awards ceremony of the "Hai Phong Children's Singing Contest - Nightingale" for the 2025-2026 school year took place in a vibrant and colorful atmosphere.

In just over a month since its launch, the competition has attracted more than 3,000 children participating from the grassroots level. After the commune-level qualifying rounds, 552 contestants advanced to the preliminary round; 85 contestants made it to the final round.

The preliminary rounds were held in both the eastern and western areas of the city.

According to the Secretary of the City Youth Union, Nguyen Thi Thuy, this year's competition has many notable innovations in its organization. Particularly noteworthy is the proactive approach and close coordination between units from the grassroots level to the communes, wards, and special zones.

Notably, the two-tiered local government model has streamlined the contestant selection process while remaining practical, ensuring that local young talents have the opportunity to participate and shine on the professional stage of the competition.

Elevating quality

The final round of the competition offered a vibrant musical experience, featuring a wide variety of genres from cheerful children's songs to performances with folk, revolutionary, and modern influences, all elaborately staged and captivating.

The performance of "Cô đôi thượng ngàn" by Hà Duy Quang Minh, a student from Thành Nhân Secondary School (Ninh Giang commune), made a strong impression on the audience.

Some performances impressed with their new musical arrangements, combined with choreography and stage effects. In addition, performances with folk elements, featuring traditional costumes, or vibrant shows supported by dance groups added to the show's appeal.

Singer Dao To Loan, a member of the judging panel, said: “We were surprised by the musical talent of the children. Many performances were of a quality close to professional shows. This shows that the training and nurturing of talent at the grassroots level has made significant progress.”

The competition provides an opportunity for students to gain stage experience, interact, and learn. In the photo: The performance of Nguyen Thi Hai Yen, Dai Hop Secondary School (Tan Ky commune).

At the end of the competition, the organizing committee awarded 20 first prizes, 25 second prizes, and 40 third prizes to the contestants. Beyond just the competition results, the event also provided the children with the opportunity to experience stage performances, interact, and learn.

Nguyen Thi Hai Yen, a student from Dai Hop Secondary School (Tan Ky commune), the first-prize winner, shared: “Standing on a big stage is my dream. I boldly chose the song 'Xa Khoi' by composer Nguyen Tai Tue to compete, a song that is quite difficult in terms of vocal technique. The competition not only helped me become more confident but also gave me the opportunity to learn a lot from my peers.”

Building upon its traditional foundation, and with organizational and scale changes following the merger, the "Hai Phong Children's Singing Contest - Nightingale" for the 2025-2026 school year demonstrates significant development in both quantity and quality.

The awards ceremony has ended, but the echoes linger like a symphony of childhood and passion. "Sơn Ca" continues to be a familiar artistic playground for the city's children.

The competition has seen progress in both quality and quantity. In the photo: The performance of Hoang Tue Nhi, Le Hong Phong Primary School (Phu Lien Ward).

Singer Cam Van, a member of the judging panel, believes that many contestants this year have a good foundation and have received systematic training from the grassroots level. To ensure the competition's sustainable development, in addition to maintaining its scale and appeal, it's crucial to focus on improving professional quality. Therefore, the evaluation criteria should be refined to prioritize vocal ability, enhance the early discovery and nurturing of talent, and provide support and guidance after the competition to cultivate long-term potential.

Furthermore, striking a harmonious balance between performance and vocal ability, as well as selecting age-appropriate songs, will contribute to preserving the unique character of children's music competitions and gradually improving their quality with each season.

HA LINH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/suc-bat-moi-cua-hoi-thi-son-ca-thanh-pho-538855.html