Artists perform in the opening ceremony of the 8th International Choir Competition in Hội An City. More than 1,000 artists from 29 teams from nine nations will be competing in the event. Photo courtesy of Hội An City's Centre of Culture and Sports

HỘI AN – Hello Việt Nam and A Journey Around Việt Nam, performed by a Hội An art troupe, has launched the 8th International Choir Competition in the ancient town, which will see more than 1,000 artists from 29 choirs of nine countries, competing in the event.

Việt Nam have sent nine teams, while South Korea and the Philippines assigned five choirs each in the competition, which will also see four teams from Malaysia and two from Thailand, alongside those from Canada, Indonesia, Poland and Singapore.

Hội An has hosted the competition for seven time in a row since 2011.

Vice chairman of Hội An City’s people’s committee, Nguyễn Văn Lanh said: “The Việt Nam International Choir Competition is a distinctive cultural and artistic event, held biennially since 2011, co-organised by Hội An and Interkultur from Germany.

“The competition has been a remarkably successful event and has helped build impressions among friends. The four-day event effectively contributes to promoting Hội An as a peace-loving city, a favourite destination, with friendly and hospitality people over past decades.”

TSIS Young Choristers from Thailand offered two performances: For The Beauty of the Earth and Storm in the opening ceremony and the Broadway Academy Choir from Malaysia showed off Mak Inang.

DMMMSU Northern Chorus also contributed to the opening ceremony with Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas.

Participating teams join the opening ceremony of the 8th International Choir Competition in the ancient town of Hội An. The event has seen as a rendezvous for international friends and choir teams from worldwide in the Hội An musical festival. Photo courtesy of Hội An City's Centre for Culture and Sports

The artistic director of Interkultur Johan Rooze, said: ”We are very proud to see you all here at this amazing event in Hội An, that is every time so successful, this year already for the 8th time and be sure there will be more. We are proud that we can present this year 29 singing groups from nine countries, not only from Southeast Asia, but even as far away as Korea, Poland and Canada.

“I and the whole Interkultur team are very happy to see so many choral music lovers, together again, to sing and dance, and learn, and meet each other. I feel the Choral World is alive and kicking’ and that still ‘Singing together brings nations together’, especially in this amazing city,” he said.

He emphasised that Hội An was an amazing place providing a fantastic opportunity for competitors to perform, but also where they could meet each other, learn and have fun.

Hội An, a UNESCO-recognised world heritage site, has officially joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of Crafts and Folk Art, and it has been building it into a creative hub in central Việt Nam.

The competition’s organisers said all teams will be begin their official performances from 10.30am to 9.30pm at Hội An Park, with some others staged in the Old Quarter.

Participating choirs will compete in 11 disciplines across seven categories, showcasing both the technical excellence required in choral singing and the unique cultural identities of their home countries.

The final awards ceremony will be at the Hội An Theatre (548 Hai Bà Trưng street) around 3.30pm on April 12. VNS