The final round of CCTV's 12th "TV Contest for Young Singers" kicked off yesterday. The individual competition's final will continue through August 9.

The bi-annual series, which is known for its high professional standards, is expected to draw millions of enthusiastic viewers in China.

The final consists of 273 contestants competing in five different categories: Bel canto, folk, pop, indigenous and group singing.

They will go through three elimination rounds. At the end of the final round, the panel of judges will select six winners from each category.

The category for what the organizers call the indigenous group features singers who have not received any professional training but who sing in melodies and voices they learned from their parents, which have been handed down over several generations.

"Those singers have displayed amazing pieces of work and won fans of their own," said Chen Yulu, general director of the contest. "It's our unique culture and we need to carry on its legacy."

Contestants will also give a two-minute oral presentation on a current issue, which shows the organizers' emphasis on the participants' ability to express themselves.

"Over the years, we've seen contestants of higher and higher quality. They have received better professional education. At the same time, they are more aware of how to match their music to the audience's taste," said Zhang Xiaohai, from CCTV.

The audiences will vote for their favorite singers on August 6 and an awards ceremony will be held on August 9.

(China Daily July 13, 2006)