(VOVWORLD) - Vietnamese music is incredibly diverse thanks to the existence of dozens of ethnic minorities. Authorities at all levels are doing their best to promote ethnic minority musical genres, to prevent them from falling into oblivion.
Many musical pieces of Vietnamese ethnic minorities are well-known to both Vietnamese and foreign audiences, including the Kho Mu’s folksong “Falling rain”, the Sedang’s “Lulling you to sleep”, and the Thai people’s “Inh la oi”.
Ethnic minority music plays a vital role in shaping Vietnam’s music, according to Dr. Nguyen Binh Dinh, former Director of Vietnam’s National Academy of Music.
"Each ethnic minority has their own musical instruments, melodies, and performance styles. 53 Vietnamese ethnic minorities have added their own colors and characteristics to Vietnam’s music, making it more diverse and rich," said Mr. Dinh.
Traditional musical pieces are best preserved through daily community practices and performances by the local people, especially those of ethnic minorities, according to Phan Xuan Vu, Director of the Gia Lai provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
"During the 2018 Central Highlands Gong Cultural Festival, scheduled for this November, much attention will be given to ethnic people who are masters of the gong cultural space. Since last year, gong festivals have been organized across Gia Lai, in preparation for the upcoming festival," said Vu.
Another ethnic group, Bo Y ethnic people, have their own way of preserving their traditional music. Stone drums and cymbals are essential instruments during a funeral ceremonies. They have collected and printed folk song lyrics for their younger generations. These lyrics are written in both their own language and Vietnamese, to help other Vietnamese people better understand them. Such efforts have contributed significantly to preserving Vietnamese ethnic groups' traditional music in particular, and Vietnam’s music in general.