On March 11, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. The regional patriotic song contest "Songs of the Youth of Our Fathers" will bring together young performers from March 20 to 22 in Orsha, as reported to BELTA correspondent by Valery Kunashko, Head of the Youth Affairs Department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. 6 vocal groups and 19 solo vocalists, who have passed two regional qualifying rounds, will compete for victory in the creative competition in their respective categories. Geographically, the participants, aged from 16 to 31, represent Vitebsk, Polotsk, Orsha, Novopolotsk, as well as Chashniki, Senno, Lepel, Glubokoe, Miory, Sharkovshchina, Polotsk, Braslav, Dokshitsy, and Rossono districts. Contestants will have to perform two compositions each: a song of civil-patriotic theme and a hit, selected from the best examples of Soviet and foreign pop music of the 1930s-1995s. When determining the best performers, the jury will evaluate the participants' performance skills, artistry, and stage culture. The winners of each nomination will be awarded commemorative prizes and diplomas. In addition, the jury will present special prizes for "Artistry," "Audience Choice," "Best Arrangement," "Best Stage Image," "Best Performance of a Song by Belarusian Authors," and "Discovery of the Contest." The event is held to support talented young performers, improve their performance skills, foster patriotic and aesthetic education of the younger generation through the best examples of past song genres, and involve youth in musical culture and leisure activities. The contest is organized by the Youth Affairs Department and the Culture Department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, the Youth Affairs Department of the Orsha City Executive Committee, the Orsha Civil Structures Division of UP "Minsk Branch of Belarusian Railway," and OOO "Telekom-Garant." -0-

BELTA