Laos Music

Laos Music is the symbol of the past history and rich cultural heritage of the country. The traditional forms and instruments of music of Laos upheld the rich musical heritage of Laos. The numerous ethnic groups of Laos have contributed to the varied forms of folk music of Laos.

Laos Music in its traditional form is constituted by the folk music of the ethnic groups living in the different parts of Laos. The term used to describe Laos folk music is Lam. It varies from one province to other and each has a distinct flavor of its own. Some of them are Lam Saravanh, Lam Pheun, Lam Phu Thai, Lam Tang Vay and others.

The musical instrument that owes its origin to the tradition of Laos Music is the khene. It is a mouth organ kind of a musical instrument made from thin bamboo reeds. It is one of the most popular wind instruments used to accompany the Lam songs.

The traditional Laos Music is performed generally by two singers, one male and the other female. Other musical instruments like gongs, drums, bells, fiddles, flutes and others provide as accompaniments to the songs. The natural rhythm and beat of Laos songs make them quite popular among people. Dance is generally the most spontaneous reaction of the audience of Laos Music.

Laos music has been handed down from one generation to the succeeding generations. The preservation of the traditional forms of music suffered during the changing times of Laos. In recent times the Traditional Music and Song Archives of Laos has taken the initiative of keeping the traditional Laos Music alive and popularize it.