Opportunity to form 'Music City'

Hai Phong has full potential and aspiration to become a 'Music City' - a driving force for the development of cultural industry, promoting the image of a 'Seaport - Civilized - Creative - Integrated' city.

Performances are held regularly in the daily life of Hai Phong people. Photo: DO HIEN

Potential and identity of Hai Phong music

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education , Hai Phong has long been considered a "city of heroic songs", where every street, port, and row of red phoenix trees can resonate into melody. He affirmed: Hai Phong is not only the land of revolutionary music, but also the birthplace, nurturing and development of modern Vietnamese new music - a music genre crystallized from the generosity of the sea, the sophistication of the city and the desire for innovation of the people. It is this heritage that creates the characteristic "urban musical identity" - both folk, modern, integrated, and imbued with national spirit. From Van Cao, Hoang Quy, Doan Chuan... to the young generation of musicians today, Hai Phong music always carries the creative energy and indomitable spirit of the people of the Port City.

From an international research perspective, Dr. Pham Huu Thu, Vice President of the Hai Phong Union of Science and Technology Associations, said that a "City of Music" according to UNESCO criteria is not only a place with a vibrant art movement, but must also be a creative city, where music becomes a sustainable development resource associated with education, tourism, cultural industry and digital technology.

He said: UNESCO has set out 6 core criteria, including traditional music heritage; professional performance ecosystem; national and international music events; music industry support policies; community participation; and international exchange and cooperation. Compared to other localities in the country, Hai Phong currently meets the first 4 criteria quite well, especially in music heritage (with famous names such as Van Cao, Hoang Quy, Doan Chuan, Ngo Thuy Mien...) and the performance ecosystem is expanding strongly.

With the advantage of being a seaport city, with a worker's cultural identity, an open-minded spirit and young creative energy, Hai Phong has outstanding potential to develop music associated with urban space and islands - something that few cities in Vietnam have. "If we continue to invest in performance infrastructure, training and building a distinctive music brand - for example, "Hai Phong sea music" - the city can absolutely become a bright candidate for UNESCO in the next few years", Dr. Pham Huu Thu expressed.

Musician Dao Tuan Phuong, former Deputy Head of the Arts Department of Vietnam Television and the Vietnam Musicians Association, also affirmed that Hai Phong has enough foundation to become a City of Music. He said that in order for the project to truly come to life, it is necessary to implement regular musical activities in life: street festivals, weekend music festivals, outdoor performance spaces, etc.

Contemporary music programs or traditional art performances all exude the strong musical potential of the Port City. Photo: DO HIEN

Realizing the “Music City” aspiration

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thu Phuong, Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism, noted that it is important to quantify the contribution of music to GRDP and clearly define the city's "creative index". "Hai Phong needs to establish a set of indexes reflecting the musical vitality of the city, from the number of creative spaces, the frequency of community activities to the spreading effect of music in urban life. We must do it now, do it for real, to prove that Hai Phong is a city with real creative capacity", Dr. Nguyen Thu Phuong emphasized.

The “Music City” profile is not just an administrative plan, but must tell the “music story of Hai Phong” - a dynamic seaport city rich in cultural traditions, where music is associated with the spirit of workers, the “open door” spirit and the aspiration to reach the sea.

According to Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Thi Hoang Mai, it is important to fully identify the value and identity of Hai Phong's music, from folk to revolutionary music, light and contemporary music, to build a strategy for developing the music industry associated with urban creativity, aiming to form "Hai Phong - Music City of Vietnam and the region".

To realize that goal, experts agree that a synchronous strategy is needed, both promoting heritage and expanding creative space. Hai Phong needs to develop a multi-layered music ecosystem, from professional performance spaces to community stages, so that music becomes a part of urban life. Along with that, there is a policy to encourage creativity and start-ups in the music field, support young artists, independent music groups, digital content producers, and form a music industry center of the city.

According to Dr. Pham Huu Thu: “International experience shows that music only truly becomes a driving force for development when it is linked with education, tourism, technology and creative policies. When music becomes the language of development, the city will not only resonate in festivals, but also in harmony with every breath of life - “Music City” with Vietnamese soul, international scope and aspirations to reach far.

SEA COUNTY

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/co-hoi-hinh-thanh-music-city-525065.html