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Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra Music Press Asia

Vietnam Opens the 4th Asia–Europe New Music Festival in Hanoi & Phu Tho

Vietnam is set to become a centre of contemporary sound this November as the 4th International Asia–Europe New Music Festival opens across Hanoi and Phu Tho from November 27 – December 1, 2025. Nearly 300 artists, composers, and delegates will join the celebration — a gathering that strengthens Vietnam’s position as one of the region’s most ambitious platforms for new music and cultural exchange. Held at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, the festival’s opening night promises a grand start with a symphonic concert performed by the Vietnam National Symphony…

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China Performing Arts Cats and Children Dance Music Press Asia
Editor's Pick

China National Theater for Children and the Palace Museum Wins China Art Festival Cultural Grand Prize

China’s beloved song-and-dance drama takes home the Wenhua Grand Prize, marking another milestone for children’s theatre and cultural storytelling. A whiskered hero has stolen the spotlight in one of China’s most prestigious cultural arenas. The Cat God in the Forbidden City — the charming song-and-dance drama co-produced by the China National Theater for Children (CNTC) and the Palace Museum —…

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Music China 2025 Korg Exhibitor Music Press Asia
Editor's Pick

Music China 2025 Wraps with New Paths for Industry Change

The 22nd edition of Music China wrapped up after four dynamic days at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, bringing together business, creativity, and conversation from 22–25 October. The fair welcomed around 1,700 exhibitors and more than 114,000 visitors from 121 countries and regions, marking a 15% year-on-year rise in international participation. Strong overseas attendance once again confirmed Music China’s…

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SIFMA 2025 poster Music Press Asia

SIFMA 2025 Unveils International Lineup

The Sarawak International Festival of Music and Arts (SIFMA) is tuning up once again — and this time, the notes sound brighter than ever. As it enters its sixth edition, the two-day festival returns on 6–7 December 2025 at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building in Kuching, gathering an impressive constellation of artists from across Asia and beyond. For a…

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Donald Trump meets Anwar Ibrahim. Cultural diplomacy of Asia. Music Press Asia

When Diplomacy Meets Rhythm: Donald Trump’s Visit to Malaysia at the 47th ASEAN Summit

When former U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the 47th ASEAN Summit, global media turned its gaze toward trade, security, and geopolitics. But for those within the creative industries—recording executives, festival curators, and cultural policymakers—the summit’s subtext was equally significant: Malaysia was positioning itself not only as a diplomatic hub but also as a growing cultural crossroads.…

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2025 Taitung Spirit Festival A Therapeutic Journey from Taitung to the World Music Press Asia

2025 Taitung Spirit Festival: A Therapeutic Journey from Taitung to the World

A therapeutic brand birthed by a slow city surrounded by mountains and the sea Surrounded by the Pacific, Taiwan is full of radiant natural scenery and cultural stories. Taitung County, located in eastern Taiwan, boasts minimal industrial development paired with a well-preserved natural landscape and cultural diversity, and in recent years, this city of slow living has attracted countless foreign…

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BoAPA ASEAN Malaysia 2025 Music Press Asia
Editor's Pick

Malaysia’s Ministry of Arts to Host Best of ASEAN Performing Arts

Best of ASEAN Performing Arts 2025: Planting the Seeds of Cultural Leadership As Malaysia prepares to take the ASEAN Chair in 2025, Kuala Lumpur is set to become the stage for a vibrant celebration of youth, creativity, and Southeast Asia’s shared cultural heartbeat. The Best of ASEAN Performing Arts (BoAPA) 2025, themed “ASEAN Cultural Seed: Nurturing Cultural Leaders,” will gather…

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Wonderfruit annual festival Thailand Music Press Asia

Southeast Asia Quarter 4, 2025: Ten Stories Driving the Region’s Creative Economy

By the Music Press Asia Global Desk October 2025 has been a month of distinct acceleration across Southeast Asia’s music and creative industries. From Jakarta to Bangkok, Manila to Kuala Lumpur, a wave of renewed activity has carried the region’s artists, policymakers, and audiences into a fresh rhythm — one that blends post-pandemic recovery with bold ambitions for global integration.…

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Putumayo Instrumental Odeyssey Music Press Asia Featured album of the month
Editor's Pick

Music of the Month: “Instrumental Odyssey” by Putumayo

At Music Press Asia, we continue to celebrate world music in all its diversity, flavour, and multiethnicity. Each month, our editors listen closely to the rhythms that transcend borders — sounds that tell stories of people, culture, and the beauty of coexistence. This October, our Music of the Month pick is Putumayo’s “Instrumental Odyssey”, a stunning compilation that reminds us…

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Putumayo Goes Full Throttle for Digital Future Music Press Asia
Editor's Pick

Putumayo World Music Says Farewell to CD Era, Embraces Digital Future

After more than three decades of connecting the world through music, Putumayo World Music — the label synonymous with world culture and global sounds — has announced it will end the sale of physical CDs by December 31, 2025, marking the close of a landmark chapter in its storied history. Founded in 1993 by Dan Storper, Putumayo became a cultural…

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