Manchester successfully held ‘Chinese Song UK’ singing contest
On April 28, 2016, the finals of the second ‘Chinese Song UK’ singing contest was held at The Royal Northern College of Music Hall. The competition was fierce, with 10 outstanding groups of players taking part.
The biggest highlight of the singing contest came from a family group who comes from Preston — Dawn’s family. Their interpretation of the “Painted Heart” and “Without You” shocked the audience, eventually won the title.
‘Chinese Song UK’ is an official Chinese singing contest promoting cultural exchange between the UK and China. It’s held by the British Chinese Youth Enterprise Federation (BCYEF), and all of the Confucius institute at the Greater Manchester consular district.
This singing contest got lots of attention from the local government and universities. More than 40 groups of contestants originally entered. After the preliminary and semi-finals, 10 advanced to the finals.
More than 600 people watched the contest. Among them were Manchester Consul General Li Yongsheng, the Mayor of Stockport Fred Dyer, the Mayor of Trafford John Holden, the principal of The Royal Northern College of Music Professor Linda Merrick and the vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool, as well as many local people.
Li Yongsheng, Manchester Consul General in his speech pointed out that the ‘Chinese Song UK’ contest, which was founded by the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester, got response and support from all walks of life last year.
Mr Li said: “2015 is an important year for UK-China relations as it sees the launch of the first UK-China Year of Cultural Exchange. 2016 is the start of the implementation of the Sino-British relations ‘golden age’. This year will usher in a new round of Sino-British cultural exchange festival.”
As a Sino-British cultural exchange audio — visual feast，the rewards are very attractive. The second and third prize winners can get £1000 and £500 cash prizes, and the first prize winner can get £2000 in cash!
In the finals, the players showed high standards of Chinese expression and singing.
After each round of the competition, the groups that had progressed were announced.
Eventually, with original rap featuring Liang yuexin (Max Perrot) won the best performance award; Liverpool 16-year-old high school student Eve O’Gara won the third prize; and Hull University’s rendition of “Half Moon Climb” and the “Good Life” earned them the runner’s-up prize.
Dawn’s family is a multicultural family. Dawn’s husband is a Spanish, and she is a British. And their eldest son can speak 7 languages, such as German, Spanish, English, French, Russian, etc.
Dawn’s family are very enjoyed the whole singing contest, and they thought that all of the competitor are very warm and loving.
After the singing contest, Dawn said: “At before, we can’t imagine that we can win the biggest prize. If you want to do something, you can work hard and go to do it.”
“ I think Chinese music is very beautiful, I hope more and more people can hear those, even if people who do not speak Chinese. I want to learn more Chinese. It’s very challenging, but it’s good.”
Nowadays，more and more foreigners are willing to learn Chinese. And more than 500 Confucius Institute around the world.There are 169 Confucius institutes in Europe.
Dawn’s family enrolled in the singing contest were encouraged by the teacher who at the Confucius Institute.
Clara Eugenia Marmo, one of the competitors in the finals of the singing contest, a music theatre student in Uclan, she said: “This singing contest gave me an opportunity to get interest in learning Chinese. I think the cultural exchange between the UK and China is always good.”
“We hope through this event to attract more British people to learn about Chinese culture, sing Chinese songs, and promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.” Li Yongsheng said.
As the evening reached a climax, the audience applauded again and again, and everyone went home happy after enjoying a musical feast.
