RoK hands over restored music instruments

Photo: Vietnam+

This is the result of the cooperation between HIRPC and the RoK, under which the RoK institute helps to restore Bien Chung and Bien Khanh, percussion instruments of Nha Nhac (Royal Court Music), as the techniques for making them have been lost in Vietnam since early the 20th century. However, the instruments are sill preserved in the RoK.
According to HIRPC Director Phung Phu, Bien Chung and Bien Khanh percussion instruments were used in Hue royal orchestra under the Le dynasty (1427-1788) and Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945).
The instruments will be given to the Hue Royal Traditional Arts Theatre to be used on the occasions of traditional rituals during Hue festivals.
Park il Hun, Director of the RoK institute, expressed his hope that through the cooperation the world will know more about the two countries’ traditional music.

HTV to screen new series

HCM City Television this week will begin broadcasting a new TV series about King Ly Thai To, born Ly Cong Uan, the founder of the city Thang Long (now Ha Noi).

The 40-episode Ve Dat Thang Long (Arriving in Thang Long), which began filming four months ago, is one of the city's projects that are celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of the nation's capital.

Each episode describes historic events taking place in the country and the capital Hoa Lu before and after Ly Cong Uan was enthroned as the first king of the Ly dynasty.

In 1010, King Ly Thai To made an important decision to move the capital from Hoa Lu in present Ninh Binh Province to Thang Long.

The script for the TV series, which is directed by Tran Ngoc Phuong, is written by well-known author Pham Thuy Nhan.

Taking part in the series produced by HTV in co-operation with M&T Pictures are 80 artists of HCM City with well-known artist Ly Hung playing Ly Cong Uan.

Arriving in Thang Long which will air on HTV 9 at 8.30pm from Thursday to Sunday every week, beginning on January 1.

National Environmental Film festival closes in Hanoi

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Vietnam Television and the Vietnam Cinematography Association jointly held an awards present ceremony for the fourth National Environmental Film festival (NEFF) on Dec. 29.

Launched from Sep. 23, the festival had attracted 131 films competing in five categories including TV report, documentary, science, cartoon and feature on environment.
Representative of the board of examiners of the NEFF People’s Artist Bui Dinh Hac said prize-winning works have been able to reflect urgent environmental issues of public concern, adding that there are also great improvements in the films’ artistic value.
At the festival, four first, six second, five third and five consolation prizes were awarded to contestants. Especially, the organising board presented the “Green Vietnam” award valued 30 million VND to director Le Hoai Phuong for the film “Forest crime”.

Writers to discuss war themes

Writers Da Ngan and Wayne Karlin, one Vietnamese and one American, will hold a talk about the themes of war at Hoa Sen College in HCM City today, with visiting American students from George Mason University to participate.

Ngan will discuss different aspects of the war and its aftermath in Ngan's novel Gia Dinh Be Mon (An Insignificant Family). While in Viet Nam, the American students are expected to visit the family of martyr Hoang Ngoc Dam, depicted as one of the main characters in Karlin's novel Wandering Souls.

HCM City to host audio-visual expo

The Recording Industry Association of Viet Nam will host an audio-visual expo in HCM City from December 31 to January 2. Gathering 14 companies from around the country, the fair will display over 5,000 products, including CDs and DVDs at discounted prices.

Pop singers and cai luong (reformed opera) performers are scheduled to appear to encourage customers to buy authorised, non-pirated products.

Capital to open music centre

The Ha Noi Musicians Association is planning to launch a Centre for Music Development in June 2011 to support composers in developing and publicising new works, said association chairman Ho Quang Binh.

The establishment of the centre was approved by the association's 10th Congress.

Cham site found in Quang Ngai

The remnants of a Cham Temple dating back to the 10th century have been discovered in Mo Duc District in the central province of Quang Ngai.

The temple, named Dinh Ba So (Mother of Cham Land) by local residents, contains stone linga and yoni believed to be the first found in Quang Ngai, said Nguyen Dang Vu, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Capital cracks down on superstition

The Ha Noi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has ordered communities in the capital city to set up steering committees and organising boards to manage and control superstitious activities at traditional festivals as well as the burning of paper offerings at relic sites.

The department has also asked localities to ensure security, traffic safe and food hygiene at cultural events.

VNN/VOV/VNS