LookAtVietnam – A festival dedicating to then – the traditional singing of Tay and Nung ethnic people – will kick off tonight, August 24 in the northern province of Bac Can.

Rock on: Then performer Quynh Nga, a member of the Tay ethnic group, teaches children how to sing then and play the tinh instrument.

However, according to the deputy director of the Bac Can Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Dao Duy Duc, there are only four then singing old artisans still alive in the province, considered the “cradle” of then singing.

“While the old artisans are the ones who are able to sing the old melodies perfectly, the young artists are fascinated in innovations on the melodies,” he said.

During the past year, the province has paid greater attention to preserving this unique art form. One step was to form a group of then artists in Pac Ngoi village - a Tay ethnic cultural village in Nam Mau district.

“These artists not only contribute to the preservation of this art form but also introduce the genre to foreign visitors,” said Duc. “Although I was born and grew up in this region, I am still fascinated by then melodies and the pure sound of the tinh instrument, which is the essential instrument to accompany then singers.”

Hoang Duc Hau, deputy head of the festival’s organising committee, said he believed that that the festival would hold “a lot of nice surprises”. Audiences would have chance to enjoy the sweet then melodies which are often sung at special events in the lives of the ethnic people.

During the opening ceremony tonight, audiences would also have a chance to enjoy a special performance by four different generations of a single family.

Another highlight will be the performance of veteran artist Nong Thi Sam from Lang Son Province. The 68-years old, who started singing as a young girl, will perform the song Ba Day Chau Hat Then (Grandma Teaches Her Grandson to Sing Then Melodies) in, appropriately enough, a duet with her grandson Chu Van Minh.

“I hope the audiences will enjoy the beauty of then melodies through the performances of artists from different province. The Thai Trang and Day ethnic artists from Lai Chau and Lao Cai will perform original then songs,” said Hau.

Popular then singers such as Nong Van Khang, Nong Xuan Ai, and Quynh Nha were also scheduled to present their innovations on then songs.

The festival’s opening ceremony will be broadcasted on VTV2 and the international channel, VTV4.

In addition to the performances, the festival will feature an exhibition of tinh instruments and costumes of then singers, and workshops will allow artists to share their experiences.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News