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2. ong singing - folk song of the northern delta

During the first three months of the Lunar Calendar, when branches bud and the trees yield their fruit in every village, ceremonies are held to honor Heaven and Earth and the ancestors, praying for the bountiful harvest, and a large and healthy children. At such sacred ceremonies, one can hear the incessant rhythm of the drum, driving way evil spirits and encouraging the young men and women of the village to gather outside the communal house. That singing which you can hear accompanying the beat of the drum is ong singing, one of the most important elements of traditional festivities in Viet Nam's Red River delta.

3. Solo T'rung - folk music of the Giarai ethnic minority

Join us on a trip to the Central Highlands in the third month of the Lunar Calendar, when the mountains are carpeted with colourful flowers and bees are busy making honey. The Giarai people will extend a warm welcome to you at their communal house, known locally as Nha Rong, inviting you to share with them their famous rice wine, drunk from jars through long bamboo straws. Afterwards you can enjoy listening to the sound of their T'rung and gong ensemble, which echoes across the mountains calling to friends far and wide.

4. Bacarole Nam Binh - chamber music of Hue

Leaving the Central Highlands, we travel to Hue, the former capital of the Nguyen dynasty, where many places, temples, mausoleums and other royal vestiges may still be seen. Spending an afternoon at the Phu Van Lau Pavilion, you can experience the evocative melodies of the Ho mai nhi, chamber music of Hue.

5. Solo Pi Tam Lay - folk music of the Thai ethnic minority in northwest Viet Nam

Leaving the ancient capital of Ha noi and heading along National Highway 6 into the northwestern region of Viet Nam, we arrive at Dien Bien Phu, where Ban flower blossoms are to be found in abundance. Here we visit the Thai ethnic minority to experience the unique sound of the Pi Tam Lay, a long flute with a remarkable range which is said to be able to mimic the sounds of both the male and female voice. You don't believe it ? Well, hearing is believing!

6. Excerpt from a Phien 36 tunes (a Dao Cua Quyen) - the Red River delta

We return now to the Red River delta, cradle of the ancient Viet people, which is endowed with an abundant and diverse traditional musical heritage. Here we are entertained with a range of tunes from the genre a Dao Cua Quyen, in days gone by a refined pleasure of the village literati, performed for their entertainment in the house of wealthy families.

7. Suite of Cham folk music and dance - southern coastal Viet Nam

The majestic and solitary towers of the ancient Kingdom of Champa are evoked in this nostalgic piece of music, which reflects the rich culture and history of the Cham ethnic minority.

8. A Reng voice and flute love duet of the Paco ethnic minority - Central Highlands

The A Reng is a unique love duet performed amongst Pa Co (Ta Oi) ethnic minority in the mountainous regions of Quang Tri and Thua Thien provinces. The man holds one end of a flute in his mouth while the woman holds the other in hers. While one person plays, the other sings, each taking turn to express their feelings for the other.

9. Ding Goong duet of the Bahnar ethnic minority - Central Highlands

The Ding Goong is a plucked string instrument played exclusively by the young ethnic minority men of the Central Highlands to express feelings of love, happiness and sadness. If you come to this region, you may witness a buffalo-sacrifice festival or a thanksgiving festival to the Rice Mother. When the ceremonies are over and the men have drunk large quantities of Ruou Can (rice wine) through straws, they will play the Ding Goong and sing:

'I sit on the riverbank
I play music and think of someone
Maybe it is you
The girl with eyes which shine like the sun
And her hair blowing in the wind at the top of Chu pa Mountain...'

10. Ly tune (The Mynah Bird) - southern Viet Nam

Con sao sang song ('The Mynah Bird that follows the River') is a traditional air sung by our distant ancestors. Carried by conquest into new territories, the song subsequently stayed with the people of the Mekong Delta and has since become a symbol for the intimate link between the three regions of Viet Nam. Rolling rice fields, buffaloes pulling ploughs, frolicking magpies,... all are brought to mind in this evocative folk song.

11. Khen dance of the H'mong ethnic minority - northern Viet Nam

If you come to northern Viet Nam, you should certainly take an excursion to the mountainous villages of H'mong minority, where you will be welcomed by the sound of the Pua, drums and gongs of the villagers. Although their wine is made with fermented leaves, it is very easy to get drunk, and after a few glasses, you will be ready to take part in the Khen dance. This dance is both martial and artistic and every young H'mong male must know how to perform it if he is to succeed in capturing the heart of the beautiful girls in his village. The more energetically he dances, the greater his chances of finding a partner.

12. Ly tune ('Drawing in the Nets') - southern Viet Nam

Boats are sailing the misty sea and the people of the south are ready to invite you on board for a fishing trip. With some bottles of wine and several kilos of dried fish, you have everything you need for a perfect day. The wind's up, so let's go !

13. Khap singing and Xoe dancing of the Thai ethnic minority - northwest Viet Nam

Visiting the villages of the Thai ethnic minority, you will feel as though you are walking on a sea of clouds, seeing the Ban flowers in full bloom, drinking rice wine through bamboo straws from the jar, being entertained and mesmerized by the Khap melody and the Xoe dancing which accompanies it. This is a joy that only a trip to northwest Viet Nam can offer.

We welcome you to our land for an unforgettable traditional arts experience.