Today, 19 young performers from 19 countries are competing for the Grand Prix of the XIX "Vitebsk-2010" competition.

July 12, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The main intrigue of the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" festival will begin today with the draw for the participants of the "Vitebsk-2010" International Pop Song Performers Contest, a BELTA correspondent reports. According to the contest rules, the order of performance of the contestants is determined by a draw held in the presence of media representatives and members of the international jury. The results of the draw are valid for two competition days. Contestants will begin their acquaintance with journalists and the jury with a pop song that most vividly reveals their performing skills and artistic image. The 19th international competition for young performers will feature 19 contestants from 19 countries. The average age of the participants is 25 years. The oldest participant, Oliver Katić from Serbia, is 32 years old. The youngest participant in the song competition will be Daniuska Pacheco from Cuba, who is only 18 years old. By the way, she is the first representative of the sunny island at the "Vitebsk-2010" contest. Belarus will be represented by 23-year-old Denis Vershenko, the Grand Prix winner of the "On a High Wave-2009" International Festival-Competition of Stage Art (Russia). Under the Russian flag, 27-year-old Anna Malysheva will perform, who was recognized as the best at the All-Russian Competition-Festival of Pop Art named after B. Brunov. Ukraine has delegated 23-year-old Inna Voronova to the competition, a Master of Arts and a winner of numerous national music competitions. The jury of the "Vitebsk-2010" International Pop Song Performers Contest will be headed by Ukrainian pop star Taisiya Povaliy, the Grand Prix winner of the "Vitebsk-1993" competition for young performers at the "Slavianski Bazaar". It is worth noting that this year two-thirds of the jury members are connected with the Vitebsk contest and the festival itself. Željko Joksimović (Serbia), like the jury chairman, was the Grand Prix winner at the VIII International Pop Song Performers Contest "Vitebsk-99", and Honored Artist of Belarus Inna Afanasyeva was awarded the 2nd prize at the contest in 1992. Czech pop star Helena Vondráčková was a member of the international jury of the "Vitebsk-2004" contest. The jury also includes popular composer Igor Kornelyuk, People's Artist of Russia, Honored Artist of Russia, who has repeatedly participated in "Slavianski Bazaar" concerts, and Dragomir Draganov, a Bulgarian singer and TV presenter, who participated in the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" as a journalist 15 years ago. The competition performances of the young artists will take place on July 13 and 14. The Grand Prix winner will be announced on July 15. -0-