Hai Phong: Shaping the "City of Music" brand in the Creative Cities Network

Hai Phong is striving to become a “City of Music” in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. To achieve this goal, the city is making efforts to implement many solutions, in which, according to experts, Hai Phong needs to focus on building a music industry development strategy, gradually shaping the brand “City of Music.”

Music becomes a cultural heritage system

According to Ms. Tran Thi Hoang Mai, Director of the city's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hai Phong is the land of many types of folk music such as ca tru, cheo, festival drums and especially hat van.

This land is also the birthplace and nurturer of many Vietnamese musical talents, from Van Cao, Hoang Quy, Doan Chuan, To Vu, Tran Hoan, Ngo Thuy Mien to today's generation such as Vu Tu Lan, Duy Thai, Vu Ngoc Quang, The Vinh, Tung Ngoc.

After the merger, Hai Phong was known as “Heroic City - The Eastern Cultured Land”. Because of that, Hai Phong’s music not only carries the heroic spirit and “brave, determined to win” spirit but also bears the deep mark of the Eastern cultured land.

From this source, the city's music is a rich cultural heritage, with a professional artist community, a contemporary theatre system and a rich historical tradition.

Among them, the collective leadership, artists and actors of Hai Phong theaters have constantly innovated creative thinking, pioneering in experimenting with new forms of performance.

Not only performing on big stages, theaters also bring art to neighborhoods, factories, and schools, where everyone needs to be energized, shared, and inspired with a desire to live.

It is these activities that have helped performing arts truly become a part of the people's spiritual life and are the premise for building Hai Phong into a City of Music.

Hai Phong City also devotes a lot of resources to investing in music activities and the people here are very passionate about music. On that basis and in the context of Hai Phong's deep international integration, the construction of the "Hai Phong - City of Music" project will contribute to affirming the city's potential and position, and at the same time will turn Hai Phong into a music center with identity and attraction in the region and internationally.

According to information from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong, the project "Hai Phong - City of Music" has four parts.

The first part introduces the geographical, economic, cultural, social characteristics and the musical development process of the city in association with the context of economic and social development and the work of building people in the direction of socialism, emphasizing the role of Eastern culture and the history of forming the character and spirit of Hai Phong people.

The second part introduces the current status of music development in Hai Phong city in the period 2020-2025, clearly stating the role and impact of music on cultural, spiritual and social ethical life, as well as the preservation and promotion of typical cultural values.

Part three is the viewpoint, goals, and plans for music development in Hai Phong city until 2030, with a vision to 2045. Part four is the solutions, policies, and implementation organization to build Hai Phong into a City of Music.

Music industry development strategy

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son, full-time member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society, Hai Phong possesses many necessary elements of a "Music City" such as heritage, identity, people and spirit of uprising. Revolutionary music heritage is the foundation, seaport tradition is the source of inspiration, creative spirit is the driving force, and the music industry is the way of the future.

A scene from the musical “Bi vo” performed by the Hai Phong Song and Dance Troupe, which will be performed on the evening of June 29, 2024 at the Hai Phong Opera House. (Photo: VNA)

When these elements are connected by vision and policy, the city will not only retain its past soul, but also open up to a future where music becomes a resource for economic development and a distinctive cultural brand of modern Vietnamese cities.

Aiming to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of Music is not only a target title, but also a declaration of Hai Phong's aspiration to rise up, the aspiration to affirm the value of Vietnamese culture on the world creative map.

When the city knows how to invest in culture, knows how to arouse people's creativity, knows how to let music lead the way for development, then that is also the time when Hai Phong contributes to brightening the image of a dynamic, youthful, humane and inspirational Vietnam.

Mr. Bui Hoai Son proposed a number of solutions for Hai Phong to achieve its goals, including organizing the Hai Phong International Music Festival associated with the city's brand.

This will be an annual regional festival, both carrying heritage colors and updating contemporary music trends, attracting tourists, artists and investors.

Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Thi Phuong Anh, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, proposed that in order for Hai Phong to become a City of Music - a place to organize large-scale music events not only in Vietnam but also for the whole region and the world - the city needs to build and upgrade event organization infrastructure to meet the requirements of international music programs.

Local authorities have priorities for large music events such as quick licensing, traffic support as well as security and order issues. In particular, the organization of music events needs to clearly identify the audience segment and needs.

Dr. Ngo Tu Lap, member of the Vietnam Musicians Association, Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Institute for Cultural-Language and Education Development (CLEF), said that Hai Phong needs to digitize, preserve, restore and promote cultural heritages, including musical heritages related to contents such as authors, works, places, and relics. Along with that, the city needs to establish a music award for Hai Phong.

Organizing an international music festival is extremely necessary. The festival will contribute to promoting Hai Phong and the city’s tourism, be a driving force for Hai Phong’s music industry and will contribute to the country’s cultural diplomacy./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hai-phong-dinh-hinh-thuong-hieu-thanh-pho-am-nhac-trong-mang-luoi-cac-thanh-pho-sang-tao-post1074230.vnp