Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports Do Dinh Hong speaking at the press conference.
As part of the cultural and artistic events celebrating the 70th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day (October 10, 1954 – October 10, 2024) and 1,014 years of Thang Long – Hanoi, the “Voice of Hanoi” Singing Contest 2024 seeks to discover and honor young, talented voices in the capital. This event is not just an artistic platform but also an opportunity for contestants and residents of Hanoi to revisit the city’s heroic history and foster a sense of pride and love for their homeland.
Speaking at the press conference, Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports Do Dinh Hong shared: “The ‘Voice of Hanoi’ Singing Contest was first held in 1997. Over the years, it has grown beyond merely identifying exceptional voices, becoming a cradle for nurturing and developing major talents in Vietnamese music. Many renowned singers, such as People’s Artist Tan Minh, Meritorious Artists Dang Duong and Viet Hoan, as well as singers Hong Nhung, My Linh, Tung Duong, and others, have emerged from this competition, becoming leading voices in Hanoi and across the nation.”
The 2024 “Voice of Hanoi” Singing Contest has attracted more than 400 contestants across three musical genres: chamber, folk, and pop music. Contestants will compete through three rounds: preliminaries, semifinals, and finals.
The preliminary round will take place from November 12 to 16 at Cong Nhan Theater (42 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi). In this round, contestants will perform their registered songs a cappella, allowing them to showcase their vocal qualities, musical style, and individuality.
At the end of the preliminary round, the organizers will select 60 outstanding contestants to advance to the semifinals, held from November 19 to 21 at the same venue. During this round, contestants will perform with professional orchestral accompaniment.
The final round, featuring the top 12 contestants, will take place on the evening of November 29. Contestants will perform one song about Hanoi and another of their choice. To ensure the best preparation for the final performance, contestants will receive support from artists and lecturers from the Vietnam National Academy of Music, including vocal coaching, orchestration, and performance guidance, to help them shine on stage. The finals are expected to be held at the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace (Hanoi) and will be broadcast live on Hanoi Radio and Television.
Press conference overview – Photo: HNM
At the end of the contest, the organizers will award first, second, and third prizes to the top contestants in the three main music genres: chamber, folk, and pop. Additionally, special prizes will be awarded, such as “Best Performance About Hanoi” and “Audience Favorite.”
During the press conference, the organizers also announced the jury panel for the contest. The jury chair is Major General, musician Duc Trinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Musicians’ Association. Other jury members include Dr. People’s Artist Quoc Hung, Acting Director of the Vietnam National Academy of Music; People’s Artist Quang Vinh, Chairman of the Hanoi Music Association; Dr. People’s Artist Tan Nhan, Head of the Vocal Department at the Vietnam National Academy of Music; People’s Artist Ha Thuy, former Head of the Vocal Department at the Military University of Culture and Arts; People’s Artist Tan Minh, Director of the Thang Long Music and Dance Theater; journalist and music critic Nguyen Quang Long; Meritorious Artist Lan Anh; and singer Nguyen Tran Trung Quan. With widespread participation from contestants and the involvement of esteemed artists and a reputable jury, the 2024 “Voice of Hanoi” Singing Contest, themed “Hanoi – A Pink Heart,” is set to be a resounding success.
Reporter