"White" children's music in the market.

The scientific seminar "Children's Music in Ho Chi Minh City," organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Music Association and held on August 16th, offered much to ponder about the current scarcity of children's music products.

Almost forgotten

Children's musical performances are an important part of a child's holistic development, helping them grow physically, intellectually, and emotionally. However, the creation of children's songs has been almost neglected, leading to a severe shortage of new, high-quality children's music. In schools, students are only taught old musical works.

Children's music and dance competitions mainly use compositions that are several decades old. Young musicians are only interested in composing sentimental, adult-oriented music, while passionate musicians dedicated to children's music cannot find outlets for their works, nor do they have the funds to invest in and release new compositions. Therefore, many songs remain only on paper. Some musicians fail to keep up with the evolving mindset of children today, so their songs cannot reach a wider audience. Meanwhile, district and county children's centers always need new songs, but their limited budgets prevent them from commissioning new compositions.

A performance at the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Children's Festival in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: BUI DIEU

Due to a lack of good children's songs, children frequently watch and listen to adult music, international music (for language learning purposes), or foreign children's music. This can negatively impact children's perceptions and behavior. The appeal of children's music is currently limited. Some television programs and stage music shows for children have not yet attracted the attention of young audiences.

Composer Nguyen Quoc Dong admitted: "Currently, there are composers who write songs for children, but due to many limitations, these works have not been widely disseminated or had a strong impact. Many composers lack the financial means to produce their own songs; music programs on radio, television, and online platforms also do not allocate much space for children's music programs..."

It is necessary to understand children's psychology.

According to experts, in recent years, there have been several songwriting competitions for children, and many entries have been submitted, but there is a lack of songs as good as those written for children by previous generations. Writing music for children is both difficult and low-paying due to low royalties, and it's hard to achieve fame. Furthermore, there are hardly any platforms to showcase new compositions for children.

Composer Van Thanh Nho affirms that composing songs for children is a field that requires many skills and an understanding of the child's soul. Children have a different way of perceiving and feeling the world than adults. To compose songs suitable for children, composers need to understand their psychology, preferences, and needs.

Children's songs need cheerful melodies that are easy to sing, easy to remember, and have gentle, easy-to-understand lyrics. However, simple melodies and lyrics do not mean a lack of creativity. Composers need to be creative in making the songs appealing and engaging for children. And this is not an easy task.

Dr. Pham Ngoc Hien, director (Art Department - Performance Organization Center of Ho Chi Minh City Light Music Center, Head of the Theory and Criticism Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Dance Artists Association), observed: "The development of technology and diversification in cultural life have brought many new opportunities but also posed many challenges for children's music. It is necessary to understand that composing music for children has unique characteristics to best serve the needs and receptive abilities of children."

It's not simply about creating cheerful, lively melodies; composing for children requires meticulous attention to detail in selecting content, lyrics, and melodies appropriate for their age. These characteristics ensure that children's songs not only become enjoyable forms of entertainment but also effective educational tools, contributing to the holistic development of children. Music for children plays a crucial role in shaping and developing their personalities and souls.

Experts believe that reviving children's music requires addressing many issues and the concerted efforts of the entire society.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/trang-am-nhac-thieu-nhi-o-thi-truong-196240816195812632.htm