Deputy Chairman of Hà Nội People's Committee (first left) Lê Hồng Sơn and Sports & Culture's Editor-in-Chief Lê Xuân Thành (first right) give The Grand Prize to musician Hồng Đăng's relatives. Photo courtesy of the organisation board

HÀ NỘI — Popular musician Hồng Đăng won Grand Prize at the annual Bùi Xuân Phái Awards yesterday. 

The Grand Prize is among awards announced at the 14th Bùi Xuân Phái -- For the Love of Hà Nội Awards by Thể Thao & Văn Hóa (Culture & Sports) daily.

The awards were launched in 2008 by the paper and family of the late artist Bùi Xuân Phái. 

The awards aim to honour the contributions of individuals and organisations to Hà Nội and their love for the capital city. 

Musician Đăng is honoured for his compositions about Hà Nội including two prominent songs entitled Hoa Sữa (Milkwood Pine Flower) and Kỷ Niệm Thành Phố Tuổi Thơ (Memories of Childhood City). 

The song Hoa Sữa served as the main soundtrack for the movie Hà Nội Mùa Chim Làm Tổ (Nesting Season in Hà Nội) in 1978. 

Like many famous songs that were originally from the movie, Hoa Sữa became popular even though the lyrics do not include the word Hà Nội.

Born in Yên Thành District, the central province of Nghệ An, Đăng came to Hà Nội to study at the first generation of Việt Nam National Academy of Music. 

"The jury made a good decision to give the Grand Prize to musician Hồng Đăng," said Đỗ Hồng Quân, chairman of Việt Nam Union of Literary and Arts Associations. 

"In the context of the pandemic, the honour of a musician proves that music has the effect of encouraging the spirit and refreshing the human soul."

At the awards ceremony held in Hà Nội yesterday, three other awards were given, including The Work Prize; The Job Prize and The Idea Prize. 

German photographer Thomas Billhardt took The Work Prize for his photo book and photo exhibition Hà Nội 1967-1975.

His photo exhibition held last October introduced for the first time in Việt Nam some 130 black-and-white and colour photos taken during his trips to the country. The exhibition provides an honest view of the city from 1967 to 1975.

"This wonderful award is not for me and my photos," Billhardt said in a video message.

"It also honours the book designers, the publisher, Goethe Institute in Việt Nam and for all involved to do this project."

Two nominations out of four in total are given The Idea Prize. The winners are the idea of building an underground highway and renovating the Tô Lịch River into a historical, cultural and spiritual park and the Red River urban subdivision planning project. 

The Tô Lịch River project was initiated by Nhật Việt Environment Company. It made a proposal to the Hà Nội authorities to recover the river, which was once one of the capital city’s most beautiful.

Meanwhile, the Red River project highlights a fresh environment in the future riverside city. About 70 per cent of the area ideally will be for tree growing and public space. 

Beating two strong contenders in The Job Prize, the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and efforts of Hà Nội City's COVID-19 prevention and control forces was the winner. - VNS