Hanoi (VNA) – The Hanoi International Jazz Festival 2026 (Hanoi Jazztival 2026), themed “Hanoi Jazz – Music Without Borders”, opened at the Hanoi Opera House on September 17, kicking off three days of music activities at various cultural venues across the capital city.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Vu Thu Ha said Hanoi is pursuing a cultural development orientation that combines tradition with modernity, promotes integration and creativity, preserves and brings into play cultural heritage values, and strengthens international integration and connectivity.
Hanoi is focusing on developing cultural products deeply imbued with its identity while hosting regional and international-scale programmes and events, with the goal of turning the capital city a dynamic and creative centre for cultural industries, she noted, adding that the municipal administration has directed the development of various music programmes for the community, giving residents, tourists and music lovers chances to enjoy and engage with the arts in distinctive cultural spaces.
Among these initiatives, a community music programme featuring Meritorious Artist Quyen Van Minh, jazz artists and the city’s art units has been held regularly since November 2025 at Bat Giac House in the King Ly Thai To flower garden. The Sunday afternoon programme has attracted a large number of residents and visitors who come to enjoy jazz and the arts, Ha said.
At the opening night, audiences enjoyed performances by the Song Hong Jazz Band, Nguyen Le Special Quartet and Senri Kawaguchi Special Fusion Band. The participation of Vietnamese and international artists reflects the festival’s overarching spirit of connecting different artistic personalities and cultural backgrounds through the common language of jazz.
Jointly organised by the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Thang Long Music and Dance Theatre, Hanoi Jazztival 2026 is taking place at prominent cultural venues, including the Hanoi Opera House, the Thang Long Music and Dance Theatre, the culture and arts centre at No. 22 Hang Buom street, the Vietnamese Women's Museum, Thang Long Opera Hotel, Hoan Kiem pedestrian zone and jazz clubs across the city.
The expanded range of venues aims to bring jazz closer to the public while creating opportunities for Vietnamese artists to exchange expertise with international counterparts.
The festival also features talks, workshops, exhibitions, street jazz performances and jam sessions, notably the “Hanoi and jazz” talk, a workshop on Jazz language in traditional music and the “Jazz and heritage” programme, exploring links between jazz and Vietnamese cultural spaces and musical materials.
The festival’s closing performance will take place at Bat Giac House on September 19, featuring Yellow Star BigBand, Tran Manh Tuan & TMT Fusion Band, and San Trinh & Sauteed Grabba Band.
With open and free-of-charge activities held at both professional performance venues and public spaces, Hanoi Jazztival 2026 seeks to expand access to jazz and make the genre more visible in the capital’s urban cultural life.
It is expected to become a regular international jazz gathering in Hanoi, connecting Vietnamese artists with the global jazz community while promoting Vietnamese culture, people and creativity to international audiences. The long-term goal is turning the festival into an annual cultural event that diversifies the capital’s artistic life, promotes international exchanges and links culture with tourism and creative industries, according to the organisers./.
