The Radio House of Teleradio-Moldova Company has launched the second Ballads Festival. Those who want can enroll over the phone or by presenting themselves at the Radio House from next week. The second edition is intended for singers older than 16 who will sing by 2-3 ballads. The first preselection will be held in October, IPN reports.

Also today, July 10, there were launched a book and a CD with the ballads that went through to the final of the last year’s festival. According to Radio Moldova director Alexandru Dorogan, who is the festival’s president, this book will become a guide for the future participants. Dorogan voiced hope that the festival will be as successful as last year and will continue for many years on.

Folklorist Andrei Tamazlacaru, who is a member of the jury, said that especially for this festival he will organize a trip to southern Moldova to look for new talents.

Ethnologist Tudor Colac, who produced the book, said the festival last year was successful and a proof is the fact that he was contacted by more than 100 persons who inquired how they can take part in the contest-festival.

Doctor of Art Studies Victor Ghilas, a member of the jury last year, said that not many Moldovan singers are able to sing ballads. “We lost songs and ballad singers because they weren’t promoted in their time,” he stated.

Aurelian Danila, who heads the Union of Musicians of Moldova, said the festival should be given a new dimension and singers from more regions of the country should be invited to it. The people will be more prepared from festival to festival and the ballad will thus regain its previous value in the national culture.

The first preselection will take place on October 22-23, while the second on October 24. The Laureates Gala will be held on October 25. The Top Prize is 10,000 lei.