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There's no better solution to stage fright than to face it head on, said Sio Man-cheng, a Form Two student at Keang Peng Secondary School, who won  the annual Macau schools' singing contest last month.

'I told myself, 'If I don't show them what I am capable of, I would have wasted my efforts in rehearsing,' Man-cheng said.

Man-cheng won the secondary  category of the sixth Voice of Macau Schools Singing Contest organised by the Chong Wa Student Association of Macau.

The association is the largest federation of student groups in the enclave.

In addition to an 800-pataca cheque for her championship, she also grabbed the 'Most Popular Singer' award.

Man-cheng performed the song Real, originally sung by Taiwanese artist Chang Hui-mei. The lyrics describe loneliness as one of the feelings of love.

Her family, friends and relatives all came to see her perform at the Tap Seac Pavilion.

'I love singing. Years ago, my friends encouraged me to join the school's singing contest, where I won some awards,' said Man-cheng, also an  athlete and a choir member.

'Then I took part in larger-scale competitions, and I realised that I wasn't good enough. So I kept participating to improve.'

Man-cheng's schoolmate, Chio Chi-long, came second in the contest.

Chi-long, who studies drama two evenings a week at the Macau Conservatory, did not have stage fright.

Chi-long has also won awards at his school's singing contest.

'The first time I competed, I was very nervous until the moment I walked on to the stage. I was able to capture the audience's attention and create the right atmosphere,' said the Form Four student, who is also a choir member.

Wearing a grey jacket to  match the  sad mood of his chosen piece - Love and Sorrow by Hong Kong artist Ng Sze-hoi - Chi-long took the competition seriously.

He said he tried to bring out a lot of emotions from his own interpretation of the song.

'It is a song about a boy hoping to make up for hurting a girl,' he said.

'In fact, the song expresses joy, anger, sorrow and happiness, which are all a part of our daily life.'

Chi-long, who has his own karaoke equipment at home, said he practised,  watched by family and friends. As first runner-up, Chi-long received a cheque for 600 patacas.

Both Chi-long  and Man-cheng  said they have not decided how to spend the money.

'I need to take my friends to lunch,' Chi-long said. 'After that, may be there won't be any left.'



Singers battle stage fright