Hai Phong hosts ASEAN Music Festival 2019

The festival featured 10 art troupes from 7 ASEAN countries, with over 100 artists from the Royal Cambodian Art Troupe; the Keroncong Bale Art Troupe (Indonesia); the Lao National Art Troupe; the Manila Camerata Art Troupe (Philippines); the Malaysian Art Troupe; the Kalasin Theatre (Thailand); and 4 units from the host country, Vietnam: the Bong Sen National Folk Music and Dance Theatre (Ho Chi Minh City); the Dak Lak Provincial Folk Music and Dance Troupe; the Hai Phong Music and Dance Troupe; and the Son La Provincial Music and Dance Theatre.

The Art Council consists of 2 Vietnamese judges and 3 foreign judges: Musician Nguyen Duc Trinh, Standing Vice President of the Vietnam Musicians Association - Chairman of the Council; members: Meritorious Artist Thanh Lam; Dr. Douangchampy Vouthisouk - Deputy Director of the Department of Performing Arts, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos; Professor Yos Chandara - Advisor to the Ministry of Culture and Arts of Cambodia; Dr. Surasak Jamnongsarn, - lecturer specializing in Thai and ASEAN music, Faculty of Arts, Srinakharinwirot University.

The ASEAN Music Festival 2019 is an opportunity for Hai Phong to promote its potential and strengths in connecting tourism development with the heritage and traditional cultural values ​​of the nation, serving as vivid evidence affirming Hai Phong city as a "friendly, safe, and successful destination in all fields".

At the ASEAN Music Festival 2019, the host city of Hai Phong presented a special artistic program titled "Stories from the Legendary River," featuring contemporary folk music and inspired by Hai Phong's location as a riverside city. With diverse performance styles including orchestral ensembles, male vocal groups, solos, duets, and mixed male and female vocal groups, the program clearly celebrated the land and people of Hai Phong: their bravery and intelligence in conquering nature, fighting foreign invaders, and protecting the borders; and their dynamism and creativity in economic development and international integration.

During the ASEAN Music Festival 2019, the Organizing Committee will arrange for participating groups to perform for the people of Hai Phong in two shows at the Hai Phong City Exhibition Center, one show in Do Son district, one show on Cat Ba island, and one show on Tam Bac street.

The Anh