For many music observers in Vietnam the scene looked gloomy. Here VietNamNet takes a look back at a troubled 12 months and the rare bright spots.

Singer Bao Thy.

So 2009 wasn’t a year to endear itself to the older music listener who may have been tempted to write off younger pop acts.

The media was full of accusations that pop stars were lacking talent and only managed to achieve fame thanks to parental support and modern production techniques.

It was said that many achieved fame too soon without having the time to hone their talents. Many also stood accused of blurring the lines between cover versions and plain piracy.

Songs were performed in bars, on stage and on albums without asking the permission of copyright holders.

It was suggested that many newer stars like Bao Thy, Tim and Luong Bich Huu were simply stealing songs from famous singers and bands in the world.

Elsewhere many Vietnamese cultural observers declared their hatred of lip-syncing and suggested it needed controlling. Eventually, right at the end of the year, new legislation banned the practice and made it punishable with fines of up to 5 million dong.

Elsewhere “culture of behavior” was deemed an issue after songwriter Ha Dung and pop star My Tam quarreled in the media. It was suggested that this should be a private exchange between them but it eventually became a very public scandal.

For the traditionalists, however, there was some good news.

Because 2009, despite its problems, was a year of memorable concerts including the visit of New York Philharmonic and their two shows at the Hanoi Opera House in October.

The first Hanoi New Music 2009 festival took place for one week in Hanoi and HCM City, bringing a fresh event to music circles.

The year also marked the rise of a number of young composers. The Vietnam Musician Association presented two important awards to Tran Manh Hung - the first prize for artistic song and the first prize for symphony.

It is also deemed good news when Vietnam Television announced in late 2009 the return of “Con Duong Am Nhac” (Music Road), a famous TV music show in 2010.

Hoa Binh