The two-day workshop was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Cultural Heritage Department, UNESCO’s Hanoi office, the National Committee for UNESCO in Vietnam, the Japanese embassy, and court music artists and practitioners of Thua Thien – Hue Province.

The plan, along with the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, aims to strengthen the modes of transmission of the music and create a corps of young musicians and performers skilled in the strict traditions of nha nhac.

The plan will also collect the reminiscences of the nha nhac community, not only from the few surviving musicians, but also from others who have lived in the imperial palace and witnessed performances or attended annual rituals.

Speaking at the workshop, Phung Phu, director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre said that Vietnamese court music is often understood as a type of music, dance, singing and tuong (traditional drama theatre) performed in Vietnamese palaces for emperors and royalty.

According to Francoise Riviere, assistant director-general for culture under UNESCO, nha nhac would be among the first 90 elements inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in November this year.

In 2003, UNESCO Director General proclaimed Vietnamese court music a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.