Zecchino d'Oro

Zecchino d'Oro (meaning "Golden Sequin") is an annual Italian children's song competition established in 1959 by Niny Comolli. It is broadcast by Rai 1 and is open to singers aged 4 to 10.

The first two contests were held in Milan. In 1961, the contest was taken up by the Antoniano Institute and moved to Bologna. In 2009, Cino Tortorella left Zecchino d'Oro.

In 1963, Mariele Ventre, a conductor and director of young performers, created the Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano Children's Choir (called Piccolo Coro "Mariele Ventre" dell'Antoniano after her death in 1995, and directed by Sabrina Simoni).

From 1976, the contest took on an international perspective - each year seven songs performed by Italian contestants and seven by foreign contestants voted for by a children's jury. The winning song is rewarded with the Zecchino d'Oro award.

As has been regularly stated during the event, the songs are written by famous Italian musicians, not the children who sing the competing entries. This rule applies to all editions.

Young songwriters are Yumiko Ashikawa (芦川祐美子, 7, who also has sung her song), Miruna Codruța Oprea (13), Ioachim Octavian Petre (13), and Lara Polli (13).

Songs from English-speaking countries at Zecchino d'Oro
The competing songs in Zecchino d'Oro are sung primarily in Italian, with this rule applying to singers in non-Italian speaking regions. Here are the following songs by contestants in Anglophone countries.

Australia

 * Il più dei canguri (1978)
 * In Australia c'è (1987)
 * La Rosella (1991)

Ireland

 * L'amico dei perché (2001)

United Kingdom

 * Big Jim (1976)
 * Mother's day (1990)
 * Il tesoro del re (1998)
 * La mia età (2009)
 * Choof the train (2016)

United States

 * Sono una talpa e vivo in un buco (1976)
 * San Francisco (1979)
 * A mosca cieca (1981)
 * A come Alfabeto (1987)
 * Le barche della bontà (1992)
 * Il cestino dei sogni (1994)
 * Sottosopra (1997)
 * Su e giù (2000)
 * Rockhopper hop (2003)
 * Il segreto del sorriso (2007)
 * Regalerò un sogno (2011)