VietNamNet Bridge – A group of folk musicians from Bahnar and Jrai ethnic groups from Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands will perform at festivals in Finland from now to July 9.

The troupe includes RCham Tih and Cham Nguich from Jrai; Dinh Plih and Dinh Len from Bahnar ethnic group; flutist Nguyen Duc Thao; and music researcher Kieu Trung Son.

The festival is part of Finland-Viet Nam Cultural Bridge and the programme has been organised by Juminkeko, an information centre specialising in Finnish national epos, and Viet Nam Folk Culture and Arts Association.

The group will also attend the 10th Sommelo Ethno Music Festival in Kuhmo and the Words and Music in Kajaani.

The eastern Finnish town of Kajaani hosts Finland's longest-running and largest family-friendly festival dedicated to poetry, recitation, and small-scale theatre.

Musicians will perform the traditional tunes and folk songs of their own people with the accompaniment of traditional instruments.

They will show how to make and play these instruments such as t'rung (bamboo xylophone) and klongput (a musical instrument of the wind genre comprising many large empty hornless bamboo sections).

After their performances, they will introduce their art to music students at Sibelius Academy.

"Thanks to the event, this the first time that the traditional music of Vietnamese ethnic groups is introduced to the Finnish people," observed Bui Viet Hoa, coordinator of the programme.

"Two years ago, we had presented the music of Muong and E de ethnic groups in Finland as part of the programme," she added.

VNS