Taking care of human resources of ancient orchestra

According to insiders, the training of human resources for traditional orchestras in Ho Chi Minh City, including Cai Luong and Don Ca Tai Tu (ĐCTT), is facing a big gap. If not promptly corrected, the traditional theater will seriously lack successors.

Expectations of "training model"

From May 10 to 19, the Department of Performing Arts presided over and coordinated with the Department of Culture and Sports of provinces and cities and relevant agencies and units to organize the "Training course for actors and musicians of traditional Tuong art form - 2024" at Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater, Da Nang City. It will then be deployed in other provinces and cities across the country with the aim of investing in traditional stage orchestras.

A scene from the opera "Teacher Ba Doi" - about the life of the man who brought reformed opera music into life and the desire to pass on traditional music to the younger generation

Through the training program, in addition to actors receiving in-depth training in acting, singing, and traditional Tuong dancing techniques, the focus is on musicians receiving in-depth training in methods of performing traditional Tuong melodies, methods of performing traditional instruments in the orchestra, and handling stage situations.

People's Artist Dinh Bang Phi said he expects the training course to be held soon in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces and cities to practically create a generation of standard and enthusiastic classical orchestra musicians, gradually overcoming the shortage of musicians.

"For a long time, due to the lack of successors, the traditional music orchestra has been replaced by the organ, which has greatly affected the value of reformed music and the ĐCTT" - People's Artist Ut Ty worried.

Ancient music still has appeal

Music Master Vu Kim Yen (FPT University, Ho Chi Minh City) - the initiator and organizer of hundreds of traditional musical instrument introductions to schools - believes that it is not true that young people are only interested in contemporary entertainment channels and do not like traditional musical instruments. In fact, through the introductions of the unique features of the zither, gourd, kim, pipa..., students really like it. "Especially when the ancient orchestra plays today's pop hits, the students cheer enthusiastically. From this seeding, many schools have established traditional musical instrument clubs and groups to get acquainted with traditional music" - Ms. Vu Kim Yen informed.

Meritorious Teacher Pham Thuy Hoan also believes that if there is a strategy and a suitable training curriculum, the human resources for traditional orchestras in Ho Chi Minh City will be abundant. "Every year, the Department of Performing Arts, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, and the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music organize competitions and festivals on traditional musical instruments. This is the resource that needs to be trained and practiced so that they can enter professional activities" - Meritorious Teacher Pham Thuy Hoan said.

According to insiders, it is necessary to have a long-term strategy and a specific mechanism for training professional musicians for traditional stages. Because most of the artisans and good musicians are old and weak, they will leave and take all their valuable experience with them, which will be a disadvantage for the younger generation of musicians.

"The current way of applying traditional music is very arbitrary and unconvincing, gradually causing misunderstandings about the traditional orchestra's methodical application of Cai Luong pieces. It must be corrected soon, otherwise it will be too late and a mistake to our ancestors" - People's Artist Giang Manh Ha, Vice President of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association, was indignant.

"Traditional music studios in cities and provinces are also gradually losing students. If we do not strengthen and find talented teams, and create conditions for them to study and work, traditional stage music ensembles will be at risk of being wiped out" - People's Artist Ngoc Giau worries.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/cham-chut-nguon-nhan-luc-dan-nhac-co-196240510213809797.htm