Joint concert celebrates Sino-Vietnamese ties

The concert was jointly held by Chinese Embassy and the Vietnam National Academy of Music. It saw the participation of over 40 musicians from both countries perform traditional music.

Beo dat may troi, or Water-fern drifts, clouds float is a popular Vietnamese folksong. This is the first time it has been played by the Chinese two-stringed fiddle, along with Vietnamese monochord, flute and piano. This combination creates a unique version of a familiar song.

Water-fern drifts clouds float is a well-known melody to all Vietnamese people. It is played using the pentatonic scale, so it’s quite similar to Chinese music.

"The Chinese artists performing tonight are very young. So this was a chance for them to understand more about Vietnam. As for the Vietnamese audience, they will learn more about Chinese culture through our traditional music. We hope that the concert has improved mutual understanding between the people of the two countries" , said Lin San Zhen - Cultural Counsellor, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam.

The 2-hour concert was the result of several months of joint practice by the artists. The event goes some way to strengthening traditional music and cultural ties between the two countries.