Hanoi will hold the first festival of Chau Van singing from late September to early October, the municipal Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism said on September 23.
Chau Van singing, dating from the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400), is part of the national intangible cultural heritage. The Red River delta province of Nam Dinh is considered its birthplace.
This highly rhythmic form of singing often accompanies "hau dong" (mediumship) during rituals to honour Mother Goddesses and connect to other gods. It is usually performed at temples and pagodas.
The music and poetry performed in the folk art are blended with a variety of rhythms, pauses, tempos, stresses and pitches. The genre has also adopted folk songs from the uplands and highlands of the North, Centre and South. The main musical instrument used in the genre is the Dan Nguyet (moon-shaped lute).
Relevant agencies are working on a dossier seeking UNESCO's recognition of the traditional singing genre as an Intangible Culture Heritage of Humanity.
The Hanoi department said talks will be held during the festival to discuss how to preserve and bring into play the positive values of Chau Van singing in modern society.