On the afternoon of August 9th, at Lieu Quan Hue Buddhist Cultural Centre, Hue Union of Literature and Arts Associations, in collaboration with Lieu Quan Hue Buddhist Cultural Centre and the family of Nguyen Phan, a late painter, opened the exhibition ‘Nguyen Phan: Echoes of Returning Home’.

Visitors at the Hue Singing Performance Space on Le Loi Street in Hue recently enjoyed an unexpected musical experience as the powerful rhythms of the West African Djembe blended with the familiar melodies of Hue Singing. Bringing this distinctive sound to the former imperial city was Michael Schmidt Kanté, a French musician who has spent years traveling across continents to study and perform traditional music.

With the theme “Echoes of Books - Resonance of Heritage” a contest exploring the Hue Bookcase, jointly organized by the Hue City Department of Culture and Sports, Hue Institute for Development Studies, and the Institute of Digital Transformation and Learning Resources (Hue University), will take place from April 22 to May 25.

Within the tranquil setting of Hue Imperial Citadel, the melodies of nha nhac (Royal Court Music) resonate slowly and steadily. This enduring musical flow quietly carries echoes of the past, along with the steadfast efforts of those who dedicate themselves each day to preserving the heritage.

Born in 1987, Pa Co man Nguyen Xuan Bay from Ra Looc village - A Soc hamlet, Hong Bac commune (now A Luoi 2 commune) came to traditional music with a pure, instinctive love. “I learned by myself, I felt for myself, and I listened the rhythms that echoed from village festivals, through the hands and breaths of the elders, then practiced on my own,” Bay shared.

Amid the majestic Truong Son Mountain, the Pa Co people continue to preserve a sacred festival, where the sound of gongs and drums blends with the flickering red flames. A Rieu Piing is a time to honor ancestors, a communal celebration that illuminates the unique cultural values of the Pa Co community.

The sound of gongs echoing through the mountains, the graceful spins of Pa Co and Ta Oi (ethnic groups) dances, once thought to belong only to the memory of old festivals, are now alive again in A Luoi 2. Here, a Co Tu girl named A Rel Thuy Linh, along with local youth, continue to nurture their passion, bringing the heritage of their homeland to life with vibrant performances that immerse audiences in the atmosphere of a true festival.

Beneath the bright red national flag proudly flying over the skies of Truong Sa (Spratly Islands), we silently call out the names of the heroic martyrs who gave their lives to defend the sacred seas and islands of our homeland, hearing their echoes within the gentle murmur of waves welcoming a new, peaceful day.

Nurtured by the fire in a stilt house, enveloped in the lullabies of his grandmother and mother and the echo of gongs and drums from village festivals, Ho Pa Co A Teng was deeply imbued with the traditional cultural spirit of his people from an early age.

Thousands of audiences joined a vibrant music night at the Noon Gate Square, where new, youthful, and modern sounds echoed while still retaining a strong sense of identity.