National Ca tru Singing Festival 2014
Update: Jul 23, 2014
(TITC) - According to Decision No.1564/QD-BVHTTDL dated 27 May 2014 of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST), National Ca tru Singing Festival 2014 will be held in August 2014 in Ha Noi by Viet Nam National Academy of Music in cooperation with concerned organizations.

This year's festival will have participations of Ca tru clubs and artists from 15 provinces and cities nationwide, including Ha Noi, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Quang Binh, Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa, Thai Binh and Vinh Phuc.

The arts performances in the festival will be staged with a maximum of 30 minutes and evaluated on five criteria: space, good singer, good instrumentalist; promising singer and promising instrumentalist. Clubs and artists participating in National Ca tru singing Festival 2014 must perform 5 of 15 traditional Ca tru musical forms, namely: Hat mo or Hat cua dinh, Thet nhac, Gui thu, Ngam tho co dau... In addition, the organization board also encourages Ca tru clubs, artists to perform Ca tru musical forms newly restored.

National Ca tru Singing Festival 2014 is the opportunity for authorities to inventory the cultural heritage – Ca tru; strengthen preservation and promotion of heritage values, especially intangible cultural heritage to implement the commitments of Viet Nam to UNESCO. This event is also the chance to encourage young artists to identify themselves with traditional arts and also connect heritage values ​​of Ca tru singing with modern audiences.

Ca tru singing (also called A dao singing, Cua dinh singing, Cua quyen singing, Co dau singing, Nha to singing, Nha tro singing and Ca cong singing) is originated from folk music and traditional performances and dances. Therefore, Ca tru is a synthetic art with the combination of poetry music and dancing. Originally appeared in the early 11th century, developed in the 15th century, but in the second half of the 20th century, Ca tru was known throughout the world by the voice of the artisan Quach Thi Ho (1909 - 2001). Through many historical vicissitudes, Ca tru reaches a high aesthetic level and confirms its important position of Viet Nam and also of humanity.

On 1 October 2009, in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Ca tru singing of Viet Nam has been inscribed on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Thu Giang