An instrumentalist performs on a cò (vertical violin with two strings) at the Kiên Giang Province Tài Tử Music Festival in 2019. VNA/VNS Photo by Hồng Đạt

HCM CITY  A monthly show on tài tử music has been launched by the HCM City Youth Cultural House on Sunday afternoon.

Ngày Hội Thầy Đờn (Day of Instrumentalist), which started on Sunday (March 8), is co-organised by the HCM City Television (HTV) and the Cultural House.

The show includes performances of tài tử music, vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) and cải lương (reformed opera), and talks about the arts.

It features instrumentalists from 30 tài tử music groups from cultural houses in the city, who play traditional instruments, including the kìm (two-stringed guitar), cò (vertical violin with two strings), tranh (16-chord zither) and bầu (monochord zither).

The organisers will hold three special galas to celebrate the Reunification Day on April 30, Labour Day on May 1, and Việt Nam Theatre Day on August 12 in the lunar calendar.

Director Thành Bi, who initiated the programme, said: “Ngày Hội Thầy Đờn aims to help people understand the role of instrumentalists and brings the traditional arts closer to people and visitors."

Tài tử traditional music originated in southern Việt Nam 100 years ago. It is the prototype for vọng cổ and cải lương, which is often performed during festivals and special occasions in the Mekong Delta provinces of Bạc Liêu, Cần Thơ and Vĩnh Long.

The music is performed at traditional festivals, weddings and death anniversaries in the provinces of Cần Thơ, Sóc Trăng, Cà Mau and Bạc Liêu.

In 2013, the music was recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. VNS