Found yourself whistling a rousing tune of your own making today? Before you forget the rhythm and score, consider this: Kyrgyzstan has launched a nationwide contest to compose a new national anthem.

According to officials, the current anthem is too difficult to sing. Even high-ranking officials of Kyrgyzstan’s government are said to find it a tough ask to render the current anthem properly.

It was Speaker of Parliament Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu who made the original call for a change of anthem.

The Havli blog on Central Asia reported: “Adopted in 1992, the anthem is seen by some as retaining remnants of Soviet-style composition and wording. The government aims to approve the new anthem by April. The composer of the winning entry, which will be selected by an expert panel and confirmed through a public consultation exercise, will be awarded 1.5 million soms ($17,000).”

Enough to make you go anthemic in the bath.

Kyrgyzstan’s populist-nationalist President Sadyr Japarov can’t help himself when it comes to giving out prizes. In November, he gifted a 1977-vintage Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow to Kyrgyz-born Russian boxer Dmitry Bivol in recognition of his exploits.

Also on the patriotic beat, in January last year, Kyrgyzstan’s new-look flag, redesigned at the behest of Japarov, was raised to a chorus of anger, confusion and threats.

So sweeping moves to the glory of Kyrgyzstan are in with Japarov, but, whatever you do, don’t get too ostentatious. In July last year, he reportedly punished the fiancé of his niece Lazzat Nurgozhoeva for making an “embarrassingly ostentatious” marriage proposal that involved a helicopter rented from the emergencies ministry at $2,000 per hour.

The culprit, Aftandil Sabyrbekov, found himself slapped with drug-related charges and accused by Japarov of not really loving his intended.