National Schools Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competition 2019 & Launch of the “Xin Kong Xia 2019” Album

2019 年 “新空下”全国学生新谣歌唱及创作比赛暨
《新空下2019》歌曲合辑发布会

1. 15 original songs composed by past student-winners from the National Schools Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competitions have been compiled and released as a special album entitled “Xin Kong Xia 2019”. Three songs from the album have even been made into music videos.

2. The album aims to promote xinyao as part of our cultural heritage, and instill the joy of learning Chinese language through listening and composing songs. Launched on 21 February 2019 by the Chairperson of the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL), Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Ms Low Yen Ling, all 15 songs and three music videos will also be available on the CPCLL website.

Xin Kong Xia 2019 Album

3. Compiled from the 2017 and 2018 editions of the National Schools Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competition, the songs in the album were inspired by a wide range of themes that students could easily relate to, such as family, friendship, love and school life. In composing these songs, the students also drew inspiration from stories found in their secondary school Chinese textbooks.

4. Secondary schools and junior colleges will also be provided with a song book containing the lyrics, together with a list of related activities which teachers can infuse into Chinese lessons to encourage greater interest in the language. A showcase of the album will be held on 20 April 2019 at the MOE Edutorium at 3:00pm.

National Schools Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competition 2019

5. The album would not have been possible, of course, without the National Schools Xinyao Singing and Songwriting Competition, which is back for the fifth year. Co-organised by the CPCLL, Jurong Pioneer Junior College, Lianhe Zaobao and TCR Music Station, the 2019 competition will be open, like in previous years, to all students from secondary schools, junior colleges, Millennia Institute, Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics and the autonomous universities. Students will be able to sign up from April 2019.

6. For this year’s competition, besides taking their inspiration from stories from their Chinese secondary school textbooks, students will be also able to exercise their creativity in transforming texts from their ‘O’ and ‘A’ level Chinese Literature subjects into engaging songs. There will also be a two-day day camp for interested students to improve their songwriting techniques, singing and performance skills. To provide students with more opportunities to showcase their songwriting talent, semi-finals for the songwriting category – where each semi-finalist performs their song before a live audience – will be conducted for the first time.

7. Please refer to the Annex for more on the competition. For more details, do visit CPCLL’s website www.cpcll.sg and SPH’s website at www.xinyao.zaobao.com.