Dozens of international and local string soloists will give four concerts during the annual Saigon International Guitar Festival in Ho Chi Minh City from October 31 to November 4.
Tamonori Arai
of Japan will perform at the
concert "The Magic of Guitar” during the Saigon
International Guitar Festival at the HCM City Conservatory of Music from
October 31 to November 4 (Photo courtesy of the organisers)
The opening concert "Italian Voices to
Chaconnes by the Masters” on October 31 will feature classical guitarist Gérard
Abiton of France, together
with guitar duo Thu Le and Lorenzo Bernardi of Italy, the Saigon Guitar Ensemble,
and the Vietnam Guitar Ensemble.
Featured compositions include those by Vivaldi, Rossini, Legnani and Bach, arranged
by Abiton, who has been a soloist with many prestigious orchestras in France, the UK,
the US and Mexico.
On November 1, there will be a "Serenade of the Festival” with guitarists Kim
Chung of Vietnam, Leon
Koudelak of the Czech Republic,
and the duoRene Izquierdo of the US
and Carlos Aonzo of Italy,
whowill play works by Schubert, Merlin and Paganini.
The festival will include a friendship concert on November 2, featuring young
guitarists from Vietnam and Japan, and the
Saigon Guitar Quartet.
In the third concert "Romance in the Night” on November 3, guitarists Salvatore
Foderà of New Zealand and
Paul Cesarczyk of the US
will perform works by Regondi,Scarlatti, and Amigo, while Cesarczyk
andIzquierdo will perform songs by The Beatles.
Foderà received a Master’s in Music Performance and a Master’s in Music
Pedagogy at the City of Basel Music Academy in Switzerland.
He began performing at many international music festivals when he was very
young.
Cesarczyk made his New York City
debut at the age of 17 at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. He has been
performed throughout the US,
Europe, and Asia.
The final concert of the series, "The Magic of Guitar”, will be held on
November 4 and include works by Brouwer, Mangoré and Bach performed by Tamonori
Arai of Japan,
and Izquierdo.
Arai has held recitals in Germany,
Austria, France, the Czech
Republic, Belgium,
Italy, Thailand, Nepal,
and the Philippines.
He teaches at Ueno Gakuen University
and the Gendai Guitar
Academy in Japan.
Izquierdo, who has won numerous international awards, is a professor of
classical guitar at the Wisconsin State University
in Milwaukee in the US.
The festival will include master classes and guitar workshops hosted by
international and local guest performers.
The event will be held at the HCM City Conservatory of Music on 112 Nguyen Du Street
in District 1. Tickets are available atwww.ticketbox.vn.-VNS/VNA
Source: VNA
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.
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