30 years of preserving traditional Vietnamese music in university classrooms.

Starting from a small group of about 10-20 students who loved folk music, the Folk Music Club of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has maintained its activities for 30 years, becoming a place connecting many generations of young people with traditional music in the university environment.

The 30th anniversary celebration of the UEH Folk Song Club, themed "Returning Home," recently took place in Ho Chi Minh City, marking three decades of formation and development for one of the oldest cultural and artistic clubs at UEH.

The UEH Folk Song Club was founded in 1996 at a time when student activities primarily focused on academics or extracurricular activities. In the early days, members faced many difficulties, from finding venues and borrowing auditoriums to recruiting students.

Many generations of members reunited at the 30th anniversary celebration of the UEH Folk Song Club.

Looking back at the club's formation process, Dr. Nguyen Thien Duy - who signed the decision to establish the UEH Folk Song Club - said that he was surprised that students from the economics field showed such special interest in national culture and proposed establishing a club specializing in folk songs.

He also recalled the support of many artists and researchers of traditional music in the early days of the club's operation, including Dr. and Meritorious Artist Hai Phuong and the late Professor Tran Van Khe - who contributed to inspiring generations of students to love traditional Vietnamese music.

According to Dr. Duy, in the context of international integration and the internationalization of higher education , traditional cultural activities in schools are becoming increasingly important in preserving national identity.

"Not only do I hope the club will continue to develop and contribute to preserving the national cultural identity, but I also expect you to spread Vietnamese traditional music to international students as more and more young foreigners come to study at Vietnamese universities," he shared.

As one of the club's early supporters, Dr. and Meritorious Artist Hai Phuong expressed her emotion at witnessing the club's development through many generations of students. According to her, the most valuable thing is not the size or number of members, but the continuity between generations.

It is the love for traditional Vietnamese music that has helped the club maintain its continuous activities and development to this day. “The先輩 (senior members) laid the first bricks. But without the continuation of subsequent generations of students, the club could not have come this far,” shared Dr. Hai Phuong, Meritorious Artist.

Dr. Hai Phuong, Meritorious Artist, reviewed the club's 30-year journey and expressed her hope that future generations of students will continue to preserve their love for traditional Vietnamese music.

As part of the celebration, the art program "A Melody of Love" recreated the 30-year journey of the club through many generations of members. Familiar folk melodies were performed in a youthful style, helping to bring traditional music closer to students.

Ngoc Diep, Vice President of the UEH Folk Song Club for the 30th term and Vice President of the program's organizing committee, said that the anniversary celebration is not only an opportunity to look back on the club's development journey but also a chance to connect generations of members. "This is a stage for the club to bring folk songs closer to students through performances that are rich in national identity but presented in a youthful, fresh style, true to the club's spirit of 'Love for the Nation - Youthful Enthusiasm'."

According to her, the collaboration between current and former members of the program is proof that traditional music still has the ability to connect multiple generations of young people.

Folk songs are given a fresh new sound through the youthful performances of UEH students.

It's clear that the 30-year journey of the UEH Folk Music Club is more than just a story of maintaining an extracurricular activity within the school. The continuity of many generations of members shows that traditional music still has its own vitality in the university environment, and continues to find ways to connect with young people in an increasingly diverse cultural life.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/30-nam-gin-giu-am-nhac-dan-toc-trong-giang-duong-dai-hoc.html