VietNamNet Bridge - Music critics and fans have been deeply divided when nomination for the 2010 Cong Hien Award was announced recently.

Vietnam Idol 2010 Uyen Linh

Among the nominees for best singer of the year is Uyen Linh, a fresh face catapulted to fame by winning last year’s Vietnam Idol, who has not yet released any album or given any concert.

An international relation graduate before signing up to Vietnam Idol 2010, Uyen Linh triggered what was dubbed a phenomenon in the music industry last year with her electrifying performances during final rounds of the competition.

Her songs spread throughout social media channels like Facebook, earning her a huge fan base and an overwhelming victory at last.

However, many think that is not enough to put her on the same par with big names like Thanh Lam, a long established diva who is also nominated for best singer this time.

Many well-known singers spoke openly of their disagreement with the award’s nomination, while fans fought back in forums and social media websites to protect their idol.

Similarly, others may frown when hearing Y Moan — a veteran singer hailing from Central Highland region who died of cancer last year after giving his last show in Hanoi in frail health - only get a Best Show nomination, instead of a Best Singer like Uyen Linh’s.

To them, the Idol’s career pales in comparison to his life-time contribution to music.

But, “Uyen Linh has been successful in winning audiences back to music, building trust in them. Fans adore her. She is as qualified for the award as any other nominees,” said one member of the award’s committee over the 2010 Vietnamese Idol.

“Y Moan is not nominated as Best Singer of the Year because we think that all his effort and creativeness is what makes his last show, The Highland Fire a success.

“That is why we nominate it as one of the best shows,” he said.

However, competing with other figures molded from popular reality TV singing competitions like Vietnam Idol or Sao Mai Diem Hen will be an uphill battle for the late singer.

Meanwhile, music genres represented in the award also spark many questions.

No award for Mozart

The award which turns six this year only includes competing categories for singers and artist of popular music.

“Although Vietnam has a number of music genres from classical, chamber music to instrumentals, we pay greater attention to modern, popular music that can attract a larger audience,” Huu Trinh, a member of the award’s committee said.

“In the coming years, if there are other works, be it classical or not, that are well liked by listeners, we will nominate them,” he said.

However, 2010 could be considered as a year of classical music, which is still not popular with Vietnam’s general public.

Hundreds of concerts were performed by the national symphony orchestra, or local orchestras from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Among classical works like the chamber music piece The gioi khong co chien tranh or the symphonic poem Hao khi Thang Long by composer Tran Manh Hung is the epic oratorio Lu Thang Long- bai ca doi do written about Hanoi and its millennium history by composer Doan Nho.

Taking 10 years to be finished, the classical composition was critically appraised.

But it may take some time before such genres are seriously considered for nomination.

Source: Tuoi Tre