Composer wins award for work dedicated to Hanoi

Musician Phu Quang was honoured at Bui Xuan Phai - Love for Hanoi award ceremony held on Wednesday in Hanoi. He was awarded Grand Prize for his songs about Hanoi. Photo vnexpress.net

The prize was named after late artist Bui Xuan Phai and is held by The Thao Van Hoa (Culture & Sport) daily and the painter's family.

The Grand Prize was awarded to musician Phu Quang for his songs about Hanoi. He doesn't only write songs but has made many poems popular by putting them into lyrics.

One of his most popular songs is Em Oi, Hanoi Pho (Darling, Oh the Streets in Hanoi).

The poem was penned by late poet Phan Vu in 1972 but it was made popular when released as a song of the same name by Quang.

The song was first sung on the radio in 1987 by singer Le Thu and then other famous singers like Ngoc Tan, Thanh Lam and Bang Kieu.

It has become one of the most famous songs about Hanoi and is familiar to all Hanoians.

Quang turned poems by Thai Thang Long, Thanh Tung, Pham Thi Ngoc Lien and Tạ Quoc Chuong into lyrics which are also popular among music lovers.

Quang, 71, is the youngest winner in the category which honours people who have devoted their lives to work dedicated to Hanoi.

"The judging panel believes this will make the Grand Prize be awarded to the young generation in the next years," said Le Xuan Thanh, The Thao Van Hoa's Editor-in-Chief and head of organisation board at the award ceremony.

The award's Work Prize went to Serbian Marko Nikolic. He beat two contenders at the category to win the prize for his novel Pho Nha Tho (Nha Tho Street).

Nikolic has been living in Vietnam for several years. The novel is a romatic story featuring the life of a French man in Hanoi around his work and his love for a Vietnamese woman.

The novel is written in Vietnamese.

The Job Prize category was given to two recipients including a group of artists and a group of Ha Dong intellectuals.

The group of artists led by Nguyen The Son carried out a project to turn the area at the foot of Long Bien Bridge into an attractive spot for local youths and tourists. The area is mostly frequented by homeless people and scrap-iron dealers.

Ha Dong Intellect group including writer Nguyen Quang Thieu – deputy-president of Vietnam Writer's Association, artist Chu Lượng – director of Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre, and poet Lương Tu Duc collected ancient royal documents and gave them to localities around Hanoi and other provinces.

A landmark to designate Kilometre Zero (Km0), a national cultural symbol and significant tourist site at the capital city’s Hoan Kiem Lake won the Idea Prize.

The design contest was organised by Kien Truc (Architecture) Magazine and Vietnam Association of Architects in co-operation with Hanoi People’s Committee.

The design is expected to improve the public space in the area, making it appropriate to the status and value of the historical relic and special national landscape.

A painting and photo exhibition is being held to mark the awards at Vietnam News Agency's hall until Sunday at 5 Ly Thuong Kiet Street.

The paintings and photos by artist Van Duong Thanh and photographer Tran Chinh Nghia portray artist Phai and the streets of Hanoi.