[2018-04-13]  

 The First Pyongyang International Vocal Competition ran at the Moranbong Theatre between April 5 and 12.
The participants showed off their high characteristic artistry to the delight of local people and music lovers of the world, adding more to the festive mood in Pyongyang celebrating the Day of the Sun.
A closing ceremony took place on April 12.
It was attended by Pak Chun Nam, minister of Culture and also chairman of the competition organizing committee, relevant officials, creative and performing artists from national art troupes, lecturers and students from art educational institutions, Pyongyang citizens, prize winners, foreign artistes, international jury members and honorary guests.
Invited there were DPRK-based diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations and embassy staff members of different countries.
At the ceremony excellent artistes were awarded cups, medals and diplomas as well as prizes.
The first place went to the DPRK’s Kim Kyong Ju, the second to Mongolian Bayarsaikhan Batjargal and Kazakh Li Stanislav and the third to the DPRK’s So Un Hyang and Ryu Kum Chol and Armenian Martirosyan Marianna.
Mongolian Baasansuren Enkhnaran and Kazakh Kapachinskikh Kirill obtained technical and acting prizes.
The closing address was delivered by Pak Chun Nam.
Referring to the successful competition held amid great expectation and interest within and without, he warmly congratulated winners for having been highly appreciated by wonderfully rendering Korean and world famous songs including the theme songs of the five “Sea of Blood”-style revolutionary operas.
During the competition, he said, all the participants gave full play to their virtuosity and exchanged their vocal experience to deepen friendship by transcending the differences in nationality and language.
He hoped that local and foreign artistes would make greater success in the future contest.
The ceremony was followed by a performance by the winners.
On the same day, there was the “Pyongyang international seminar-2018 on the times and musical art” at the People’s Palace of Culture.
It was attended by the Minister of Culture, officials and creative and performing artists in the cultural and art sector, lecturers and researchers at art institutions, international jury members, honorary guests and members of art troupes and delegations to the 31st April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
A congratulatory remark was followed by speeches.
Speakers made an indepth demonstration of the scientific accuracy and validity of the Juche-oriented idea and theory on musical art put forward by Chairman Kim Jong Il and spoke about the correlation between words and melody in vocal piece and experience made in the course of creating Korean-style operas that raised musical interpretation onto a higher level.
Pointing to the remarkable importance of full embodiment of the national identity in musical creation, they said that vocalists could be popular when they represent their national sentiments and modern aesthetic sense in their artistic interpretation based on correct aesthetic views.
The seminar adopted a letter to Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

KCNA