Int’l Council of Traditional Music opens in Hanoi; VND67 billion to preserve historical sites in Hoi An; Int’l talented musicians performs in Vietnam; Vung Tau set for feast from around the world

Hundreds of delegates attend Int’l Council of Traditional Music in Hanoi

Hundreds of delegates from 30 nations in the world attended the International Council of Traditional Music (ICTM) which opened in Hanoi on July 20.

The event offered an opportunity for music composers, musicians, managers and researchers of Vietnamese and international culture to share experiences in traditional music.

This is also part of activities to mark the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the 60th anniversary of the National Music Academy.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Dr Le Van Toan, head of the National Music Academy said that the event has contributed to affirming the development of Vietnamese music in the context of international integration. Many groups of musicians from HCM City and northern provinces will perform at the event.

Mr Toan expressed the hope that through the ICTM, there will be more plans for cooperation in the field of culture and music between Vietnam and international friends.

The ICTM will run through July 28 in Hanoi and Quang Ninh.

VND67 billion to preserve historical sites in Hoi An

Since 2005, the ancient town of Hoi An in Quang Nam province has invested nearly VND67 billion in projects to restore and preserve its cultural and historical sites.

Of the sum, more than VND20 billion came from the province’s budget, while the local people contributed more than VND5 billion.

Currently, Hoi An has 34 cultural and historical sites at provincial level and 28 at national level. In particular, Hoi An’s old quarter is recognised as a special historical area.

Int’l talented musicians performs in Vietnam

Conductor Seikyo Kim and violist Rina Matsuda, both well-known in Japan, are highly expected in Hanoi for their joint performances with the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra at the most deluxe Opera House on July 17-18.

Violist Rina Matsuda is to perform the Violin Concerto composed by P. I. Tchaikovsky of Russia, a favourite work of all leading violists in the world. She will also perform Symphony No. 3 by Austrian composer Anton Bruckne.

Rina Matsuda was born in Yokohama, Japan, in 1985, and began violin classes at the age of 3.

She graduated from solo training courses at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and has continued higher education at the Nuremberg Conservatoire, Germany, where she has received a certificate for performance granted by the German Government.

The Japanese violist has won a number of prestigious prizes, both domestically and internationally.

Conductor Seikyo Kim was born in Osaka, Japan, and began playing piano at the age of three and violin at seven. He moved to the US at the age of 14 and later on to Europe for education. The talented Japanese won first prize at a contest for international young conductors in Lisbon, Spain, in July, 1996. His career saw a turning point in May, 1998, when he won the famous Nicolai Malko Competition for Young Conductors in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Vung Tau set for feast from around the world

More than 500 dishes from 41 countries including Vietnam will tickle the palates of gastronomes at Vung Tau’s first ever World Food Festival that will take place from July 21 to 25.

They will be part of a massive feast stretching three kilometers along Thuy Van Beach, also known as the Back Beach, that will probably make it to the Guinness World Records for the largest cooking festival venue.

Themed “Taste of the World,” the festival will also feature art performances, cookery shows, a parade to showcase the traditional attires of participating countries, and seminars and lectures on food culture by Vietnamese and international chefs and experts.

The festival will be open from 10am to midnight daily, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Visitors can buy coupons worth VND50,000 each to buy food and beverages at the venue from a number of local hotels like the Imperial Hotel Vung Tau and the Kieu Anh Hotel.

The event is expected to attract more than 600,000 local visitors and 100,000 from outside the country.

The Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province People’s Committee, the main organizer, said rooms at all major hotel are already booked for the five-day festival and it is unable to find 400 rooms for its guests who include local and foreign delegates and the media.

It is considering booking them into smaller hotels or in nearby places like Long Dien District.

PV