The National Traditional Music Competition will see musicians from across the country compete for top honours. Photo cand.vn

HÀ NỘI — The 2026 National Traditional Music Competition will take place in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng and Thái Nguyên Province in the north.

The competition, organised by the Performing Arts Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is a professional event dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of traditional folk music while celebrating its enduring cultural value.

Featuring both solo and ensemble performances, the competition will showcase the breadth and diversity of Việt Nam's traditional musical instruments and performance traditions.

The competition also aims to discover and honour emerging talent in traditional music, providing performers, lecturers, trainees and students from public and private arts organisations and educational institutions nationwide with a platform to showcase their artistry.

Open to citizens aged 18 and above, the competition welcomes professional instrumentalists, ensembles, traditional orchestras from public and private arts troupes and  training institutions nationwide.

Performances of cải lương (reformed theatre) and đờn ca tài tử (southern amateur singing) may incorporate the electric guitar.

Contestants are not allowed to perform solo or ensemble pieces that have previously won prizes at national festivals or competitions for traditional instrumental music organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism or Vietnamese professional arts associations.

The competition will take place in Lâm Đồng Province from October 24 to 31, while it is scheduled to be held in Thái Nguyên Province from November 6 to 14. — VNS