Seminar talks ways to preserve folk music of northern minorities
A scientific seminar discussing ways to preserve folk music of ethnic minorities in the northern mountainous region took place in the province of Dien Bien on May 10.
Dien Bien (VNA) – A scientific seminar discussing ways to preserve folk music ofethnic minorities in the northern mountainous region took place in the provinceof Dien Bien on May 10.
Co-hosted by theVietnam National Academy of Music (VNAM) and the provincial Department ofCulture, Sports and Tourism, the event was part of a plan to conduct a nationalstudy on urgent measures to preserve and uphold values of folk music ofVietnamese ethnic minorities during the 2016 – 2020 period.
Nguyen Thuy Tien,a representative of VNAM, said the academy has collected and recorded various genresof folk music of ethnic minorities in the northern mountainous region to conserveand popularise them over the past two decades.
At the seminar,researchers and cultural artisans from Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Hoa Binh, Cao Bang provincestalked about socio-cultural and artistic values of folk music genres in theregion, their role in the spiritual lives, and measures to preserve and upholdthem in the current life.
Reports at theevent mentioned practising Then singing in 11 northern mountainous provinces,folk music in ethnic groups in Dien Bien and preservation measures.
Participants suggestedlaunching drives to teach and learn traditional musical instruments, raisingpublic awareness of the values of folk music, and offering incentives toartists dedicating to preserving music heritages in localities.-VNA
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Ethnics practice "Then" singing (Photo: VNA) 
