Participants at the exhibition are Mr. Doan Van Viet, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Nguyen Thuc Hien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can THo city as well as representatives of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition, Vietnam Art and Culture Exhibition Center…

This is an activity to introduce to local people and international friends the richness, diversity, and uniqueness of traditional musical instruments of Vietnamese ethnic groups. Through the event, organizers hope to honor the national cultural identity; and promote Vietnam's art forms that were recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritages in general, and the art of Don ca tai tu in particular.

The exhibition is also an opportunity for cultural and educational exchange, contributing to promoting the potential of culture and tourism for Can Tho city in particular and Vietnam in general.

Mr. Bui Ky Da, Deputy Director of Vietnam Art and Culture Exhibition Center, speaking at the opening ceremony

Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Mr. Bui Ky Da - Deputy Director of the Vietnam Art and Culture Exhibition Center - said that the exhibition displays 100 pictures and more than 200 documents and objects reflecting the material and spiritual life of ethnic groups throughout the country. In particular, the exhibition demonstrates the typical traditional musical instruments of the Vietnamese ethnic groups, especially those in the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity recognized by UNESCO.

Visitors to the “Traditional musical instruments of Vietnamese ethnic groups” exhibition

Typically, the Northern midland introduces musical instruments such as sáo (flute), đàn nhị (two-stringed vertical violin derived from the Chinese erhu), mõ (muyu), phách (clapper made from bamboo or hardwood), trống (drum), kèn loa (trumpet), đàn bầu (monochord zither), đàn nguyệt (moon-shaped two-string lute)… associated with múa rối (water puppetry), chèo (Vietnamese satirical musical theatre), chầu văn (a traditional folk art of northern Vietnam which combines trance singing and dancing), hát xẩm (a traditional folk music style in the North of Vietnam), quan họ (a Vietnamese folk music style common in rituals and festivals), ca trù (a Vietnamese genre of musical storytelling performed by a featuring female vocalist, with origins in northern Vietnam)...

The highland valley is famous for đàn tính, a stringed musical instrument from tianqin, used in music and religious ceremonies of the Tay, Nung, and Thai; San Chay drums; khèn bè (a mouth organ whose pipes, which are usually made of bamboo, are connected with a small, hollowed-out hardwood reservoir into which air is blown) of the Thai, Lao, and Lu ethnic groups...

The musical instruments of ethnic groups in the mountainous regions are unique with khèn and sáo of the Mong people; Central Coast region with Parnung and Ginang drums as well as Saranai trumpets...

Ethnic groups in the Truong Son - Central Highlands have gong orchestra, drum, horn, T'rung (a traditional bamboo xylophone), Khèn Bầu (a double-reed wind instrument used in the traditional music of Vietnam), Lithophone, bamboo pipes, flute, etc.

The Mekong Delta region is unique, with a typical five-tone (Ngũ âm) musical ensemble often used in important ceremonies and festivals at temples of the Khmer ethnic group. Moreover, this region is also renowned for typical musical instruments such as đàn kìm (a two-stringed Southern traditional musical instrument), guitars, đàn bầu, đàn tam thập lục (a Vietnamese hammered dulcimer with 36 metal strings), đàn tranh (a plucked zither of Vietnam, based to the Chinese guzheng), flute, đàn hồ (a two-stringed vertical violin with a wooden resonator), đàn nhị (Vietnamese bowed string instrument with two strings) that are displayed and performed in the Southern art of Don ca tai tu.

Performance space of traditional musical instruments of different ethnic groups at the exhibition

Besides, the exhibition also demonstrates traditional musical instruments of the provinces and cities namely Dak Lak, Ninh Thuan, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Can Tho city, Hau Giang, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Tay Ninh, An Giang, Bac Lieu. This is an opportunity for artists across the nation to perform their typical traditional musical instruments, folk songs, as well as dances and introduce the unique features of community activities, cultural and natural heritages, scenic spots, traditional handicraft products, etc.

Exchanging programs and performances of traditional and contemporary art will also take place daily at the exhibition, focusing on introducing the nation's intangible cultural heritages, traditional art forms such as performances of ethnic musical instruments, don ca tai tu (traditional Southern music), gongs culture in the Central Highlands, typical folk songs and dances from regions across the country.

The exhibition runs until April 11th.