The European Music Festival 2011 in Vietnam opened in Ho Chi Minh City on Nov. 17 with a special performance by world-class “Ma’ a lot’ Quintet” chamber music ensemble from Germany.

The festival features classical, jazz, pop and world music performances by 20 top musicians from Germany, the Netherlands, France, Wallonia-Brussels (Belgium), the UK and Slovakia.

Jazz artist Harmen Fraanje ( Netherlands ), pop singer Milena Minichova ( Slovakia ) and well known bands such as Swing Quartet (France) and Zun Zun Egui (UK) will also play at the festival.

One of the highlights of the festival is the combination of Vietnamese and European music featuring two Vietnamese folk instruments, T’rung and Tam thap luc (a zither with thirty-six strings).

The European Music Festival 2011, an annual cultural exchange, held by European Union (EU) delegation in Vietnam , has received warm response from Vietnamese audiences every year. Last year’s event saw audiences of over 7,000 nationwide.

This year’s festival will run until Nov. 28 at the Ho Chi Minh City Music Conservatory and the Youth Theater in Hanoi. /.