There was a national vocal and instrumental solo contest of officials and members of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea in Pyongyang to mark the Day of Songun (August 25). The female soprano solo My Country of Songun by Choe Hye Yong (pictured), worker at the public service station in Taesong District of Pyongyang, stole the show at the contest. In the first and second preliminaries she captivated experts and audiences with her rich voice and good sound and won the women’s vocal solo category of the popular song division at the final contest by overpowering 30 other competitors. “Hye Yong is on a par with professional singers in terms of artistic skills and representation. All jury members gave her top marks. It is regrettable that there is no special prize,” said Kim Hyon Suk, a jury member. At the closing ceremony, she was awarded first prize and January 5 mass-based cultural model prize. In the performance of winners held after the competition she flawlessly represented prelude Our National Flag with her unique character and high virtuosity, impressing the audience deeply. She started to learn singing at the age of 12. She acquired scientific vocalism and artistic ability at the vocal music group of then Masan Middle School in Ryongsong District, Pyongyang, under the guidance of teacher Ri Su Ae. “Hye Yong had good voice and big breathing capacity like her mother who was a vocalist in her maidenhood. Whenever we visited industrial establishments for practice after school we used to arrange package shows to encourage workers and her vocal solo would get an encore each time,” said Ri. She has polished and developed her skill through mass-based cultural activities since she started to work at the station. “Hye Yong is good at singing and passionate and strenuous in all work. She also plays the accordion and guitar well. All her skills were honed through the mass-based cultural activities,” said Jang Mi Hwa, a fellow worker who has been working with her for a long time. She now takes charge of mass-based cultural activities and popularization of songs at her station. “Though I took part in the contest at the recommendation of the employees of the station, I never dreamed to be a winner. I’m lucky to sing on a splendid stage and take the first place, and I’m very happy that everybody loves and puts me forward as the pride of the station. I’ll conduct the mass-based cultural and artistic activities more briskly to help all the employees proficiently sing songs and play musical instruments so as to always enliven our workplace and make our employees participate in the contest all together,” said Choe Hye Yong. By Kim Kum Myong PT