The four-day  Asian Zither Festival II -2008 concluded at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory Thursday.

During first three days of the event, players from Vietnam, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan territory, and Japan successfully instilled a love of traditional music into the audience.

Opening night was held at the Labor and Cultural Palace and sold out, far exceeding expectations. Audience members who could not get tickets had to sit outside the hall and watch performances on closed circuit television.

The artists tried their best to bring the soul and essence of their countries’ traditional music to the audience through the melodious sounds of their 16-chord zither instruments. The success of the festival is demonstrated by the tremendous ovations the audience gave the zitherists during the first three days of the event.

“I went to the festival with my wife and daughter,” said Mr. Tuan, a resident of District 11. “My wife loved the performance of Chinese artists while my daughter preferred Japanese zitherist Ishise Akiko. When they asked me who my favorite was, I told them I loved both. We really had a good time.”

The festival promoted cultural exchange and popularized the traditional Asian musical instruments, organizers said.

“The organization of the Zither Festival is a practical activity which helps build up and develop a culture imbued with national identity,” said Mr. Dinh Thi Bach Mai, deputy director of the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. “It also helps to narrow the gaps of cultural differences among Asian countries.”

The festival not only attracts young zitherists, but also veteran players as old as 70. We can say that the melodious sounds of the traditional musical instruments have brought artists of different countries, cultures and age groups and the audience together.

“Thanks to the festival, I have a chance to see artist Pham Thi Hoan again,” said Akiko, a Japanese professor. “Hoan shared the stage with me at the first Asian Zither Festival in Taiwan in 2005. I also had a chance to take a photo with a Vietnamese fan who is nearly 80. In our photo, her hair is as white as mine.”

The final performance will be aired live on channel HTV 9.