7th THSV Singing Contest: Veteran voices reign supreme, new talents emerge.

From November 19th to 22nd, 2008, after four nights of competition and performances, the 7th Student Singing Contest of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities concluded with a convincing victory for the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, winning first place in the group category. This is also a strong unit with a tradition of achieving high rankings in previous contests. This year, the performances from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication were considered engaging, well-prepared, and featured many talented singers.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/25/img_6243.jpg" border="0" alt="Competition judging panel" title="Competition judging panel" width="240" height="160" align="right" ]

This year's Student Singing Contest featured 14 teams and over 50 performances. The winning performances showcased the rise of established singers and the emergence of many promising new talents. Huyen Anh (Oriental Studies) winning first place in the individual category was no surprise, as she had previously won second place in the 6th Student Singing Contest in 2006. Ngoc Quy (Tourism Studies), who won third place this time, also won third place in the 6th contest. The newest and most surprising entry for the judges was Phuong Thao, a first-year student from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication. Phuong Thao's clear, soaring voice was showcased in a brand-new song.lullabyVu Hong Viet's performance was considered one of the most memorable moments of the competition. This contestant is seen as a promising vocalist for the university in future competitions. Other contestants such as Thuy Duong (Faculty of Linguistics) and Ngoc Minh (Faculty of Literature), who were making their debut on stage, also attracted the audience's attention.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/25/img_7059.jpg" border="0" alt="Huyen Anh (first prize in solo singing)" title="Huyen Anh (first prize in solo singing)" width="120" height="181" align="left" ]

This year, the competition coincided with the Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20th, so the teams chose to perform many songs about teachers and school. Among them, the performance...Dream rendezvousThe solo performance, with lyrics written by students from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication set to Thanh Cao's music, evoked special emotions in the audience.12 o'clockThe performance of the Chinese contestant, Duc Lac (a student from the Linguistics Department), captivated the audience in a unique way. The vibrant rhythm, engaging performance style, and the "foreign" element of the contestant made her a favorite, and her performance was judged to be the most impressive of the competition.

However, despite the competition's notable successes, many viewers felt that the songs performed lacked originality, heavily reliant on traditional revolutionary songs and lacking the youthful, fresh atmosphere characteristic of student performances. Furthermore, the unstable sound quality prevented many singers from showcasing their full potential.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/25/img_7146.jpg" border="0" width="240" height="160" align="right" ]

At the end of the competition, the judging panel awarded the following prizes:

1. Team awards:

- First Prize: Faculty of Journalism and Communication;

- The second prize for the team category went to the Faculty of Tourism Studies;

- Third prize went to the Department of Oriental Studies and the Department of Psychology.

2. Individual awards include:

- First prize: Huyen Anh (K50 Oriental Studies) with the songAlong the Cai Riverby composer Pho Duc Phuong;

- Second prize: Phuong Thao (K53 Journalism and Communication) withlullabyby Vu Viet Hong; Thuy Duong (K50 Linguistics) withReturnby Nguyen Duy Hung;

- Third prize: Ngoc Quy (K50 Tourism Studies) withThirsty Seaby Truong Ngoc Ninh; Ngoc Minh (K52 Literature) withMy dear... Hanoi streetsof Phu Quang.

3. The thematic awards include:

- Award for the best song about President Ho Chi Minh:Praising President Ho Chi Minh(Composer Van Cao) of the Sociology Department;

- The award for the best song about teachers and school:Dream rendezvousof the Faculty of Journalism and Communication;

- Award for the most impressive performance:12 o'clock(Music by Xuan Nghia) by student Duc Lac - Faculty of Linguistics.