Ho Chi Minh City, Oct. 22 -- The 2026 Ho Chi Minh City International Traditional Music Festival, themed "Melodies of the East", opened at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music on October 21, bringing together more than 70 artists from Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea.

Returning for the first time since its inaugural edition in 2018, the festival provides a platform for cultural exchange and showcases the traditional music of participating countries.

People's Artist and Dr Do Quoc Hung, Director of the conservatory, said traditional music embodies the history, soul and cultural identity of each community. Preserving it requires not only safeguarding heritage but also encouraging younger generations to pra...