Traditional Vietnamese Music Art Space
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has just approved the Project to establish the Vietnam National Traditional Orchestra with the goal of inheriting, preserving, and promoting the values and heritage of traditional music through the use and exploitation of traditional musical instruments in Vietnam. The orchestra will also function to research, collect, and exploit intangible cultural heritage, documentary heritage of traditional music, and traditional performing arts.
According to the plan, the orchestra will belong to the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre. In terms of personnel, the orchestra will inherit the theatre's existing resources, supplementing performers from art units nationwide to enhance the professional performance capacity of folk and traditional music.
The project also sets goals for the orchestra to guide public perception of artistic aesthetics; to promote international exchange and cooperation so that Vietnamese traditional and folk music performances both maintain their identity and become one of the pillars of cultural diplomacy.
A performance by the Dan Do music group with traditional Vietnamese instruments.
PHOTO: TUAN DAO
Implemented starting in 2026 and with a final evaluation in 2031, the project also sets specific goals for each phase. Specifically, by 2027, it aims to build and perfect a national-level, standardized traditional Vietnamese orchestra capable of serving national and international cultural and artistic programs. By 2031, it aims to become a "Vietnamese Traditional Music Art Space" capable of hosting domestic and international cultural events.
Mr. Tran Nhat Hoang, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), said that to date, traditional art, including folk music, still accounts for a large proportion, up to 70%, of cultural diplomacy programs. "Excluding trips bringing symphony orchestras and modern music, the remaining 70% consists of folk music works. Even when bringing symphony orchestras and modern music, there are still folk elements in them," Mr. Hoang said. He also shared that the folk music performance during the recent state visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam was highly appreciated by the Chinese side.
Experience the "musical calling card"
Music researcher Nguyen Quang Long believes that building a national orchestra with the participation of traditional Vietnamese instruments, operating according to Western academic thinking, is the right and necessary direction. "This is a step forward in professionalizing musical life, creating a standard for performance and composition that is sufficient for international integration. When traditional Vietnamese instruments are placed within a large orchestra structure, with standardized orchestration, conducting, and musical language, we have the opportunity to create large-scale instrumental works capable of engaging with the world , while simultaneously affirming our unique identity," said Mr. Long.
Mr. Long also mentioned that we previously had a Vietnamese folk orchestra belonging to the Vietnam National Academy of Music. This orchestra was established in 2009 by a decision signed by the then Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr. Tran Chien Thang, with members being outstanding artists, lecturers, and students from the Traditional Musical Instruments Department (now the Traditional Music Department of the Vietnam National Academy of Music).
The New Life National Orchestra during a performance.
PHOTO: ANH TU
People's Artist Pham Ngoc Khoi, Vice President of the Vietnam Musicians Association, shared that currently there are few people doing orchestration for traditional Vietnamese music, and they do it "out of love" due to a lack of funding. Although at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, permanent lecturers write orchestrations and after many years the number of arrangements is considerable, orchestration for traditional Vietnamese music is currently a "low point." Therefore, according to him, the Vietnam National Traditional Orchestra needs to focus on composing orchestrations, with specific and feasible plans and goals for each stage.
Mr. Tran Nhat Hoang also shared the "secret" to the success of the New Life Traditional Orchestra in high-level state activities: "New Life has conductor and arranger artist Dong Quang Vinh with very versatile arrangements. Therefore, the works become very fresh and some pieces are medleys of a foreign song combined with a Vietnamese song. Secondly, the conductor can play many instruments; Vinh can play the flute, the t'rưng, and the stone xylophone… very well. Thirdly, he is very talented and has excellent ability to collaborate with international artists."
According to Mr. Hoang, for many years, traditional Vietnamese music has been played in a very traditional way. However, the New Life Orchestra also takes a different approach, sometimes arranging works in a symphonic or jazz style. "If the message is to be conveyed, it's that Vietnamese artists are very talented and we have an excellent national treasure; the main thing is to find new ways of playing, to play professionally and emotionally so that international friends can appreciate and admire it," Mr. Hoang said.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khong-gian-moi-cho-am-nhac-truyen-thong-185260503211415631.htm
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