Viet Nam News
HA NOI — The 2nd Ha Noi Alma International Guitar Festival will be held in Ha Noi from October 26 to 28, including a competition and performances.
Some 40 international contestants from Thailand, the Philippines, Canada, the Netherlands and Viet Nam will compete in four categories. Professional guitar players will compete in group A, while contestants under 18 years old will compete in group B.
Group C will include contestants under 13 years old and group D will be for amateur players. The contestants will choose a piece to perform of about 6-10 minutes in length.
The youngest contestant is Doan Duc Quang, aged 9, and the oldest is Nguyen Ho, aged 53. Ho will compete with 13 others in group D.
The best performances will be selected to compete in the final round on October 28.
"The festival is held to honour classical music," said guitarist Vu Hien, head of the organisation board. "It will nurture talented guitar players and promote guitar playing in Ha Noi and the whole country as well. The performances by international artists will be a top attraction for visitors.”
The winners of groups A and B will be given an Alma guitar worth US$5,500 and $2,500, respectively. The winner of group A will also be invited to perform at the next festival in 2019.
The winner of group C will get a Vietnamese guitar worth $600 while winner of group D will walk away with an Altamira guitar worth $700.
The seven members of the jury are South Korean Hee Hong-kim, Italian Lorenzo Bernadi, Icelandic Johannesson Thor, Japan’s Samomi Kono and Kozo Tate, and Vu Viet Cuong, Chau Dang Khoa and Le Thu of Viet Nam.
"I’m honourable to be one of the jurors at the second festival," said Le Thu. "The festival will help popularise Vietnamese classical guitar. It is a good chance for young guitar players to exchange and share experience with international friends.”
Juror Thu will also perform alongside Bernadi playing Italian pieces at the award ceremony on October 28.
During the three-day festival, jurors and international artists like Kono, Rakanakarn, Suthisak Pom Sincharoen and Pierre Bibault will perform. A master class will be held at 8.30 in the morning on October 28, and the award ceremony will be held at 8pm.
The 1st Ha Noi Alma International Festival was held last year with the participation of nearly 30 international and Vietnamese artists. — VNS