Vietnamese artist spreads Vi-Giam folk songs to the world

For young artist Le Thanh Phong, every opportunity to tour abroad is a chance to bring the cultural heritage of the nation to other lands for promotion.

Recently, Le Thanh Phong and his colleagues presented a special artistic performance as part of the Vietnam Day in France 2023 event. In this program, he performed a medley of Nghe Tinh folk songs, including the melodies: Vi Do Dua Song Lam, Tu Hoa, and Vi Gian Thuong – a genre he has studied and performed for a long time.

Warmth of Ví and Giặm folk songs

Thanh Phong said: “Ví and Giặm are intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. As a native of Nghe An province, I am well-known to audiences for singing Ví and Giặm, so I hope that audiences will become more aware of this art form.”

Artist Le Thanh Phong performs Nghe Tinh folk songs (Vi and Giam) in France. (Photo: Provided by the artist)

Along with the cheerful musical performances and the energetic lion dance, Le Thanh Phong's performance of the Ví and Giặm folk songs brought a different level of emotion to the audience. The entire hall seemed to fall silent, suppressing their emotions as they listened to the young artist sing these heartfelt melodies. After singing, Thanh Phong sincerely shared his feelings with the audience. The artist expressed: “When I came to France, I remembered the story of Uncle Ho in Paris warming himself with a red brick in the freezing winter. He still remembered the Ví and Giặm songs of his grandmother and the lullabies of his mother, which warmed his heart when he was far from home. More than 100 years later, singing Ví and Giặm in the cold Paris, a son of Nghe An like me feels as if Uncle Ho is still present here.” The 9X artist said he was truly moved because after the performance, many elderly people and audience members came to shake his hand and hug him tightly. Ms. Vuong Lan (a postgraduate student in France) heard that Thanh Phong was coming to perform and, despite the long distance and several train journeys, arranged her schedule to come and listen to him sing and watch the performance. An elderly audience member named Vinh, carrying a rather large video camera to record the program, told Thanh Phong that he had listened to many Vietnamese folk songs in France and knew many of the melodies well: "Your singing of Tu Hoa was so moving, I often listen to you sing Vi and Giam." Thanh Phong recalled that after the performance, when the organizers took him to a Vietnamese restaurant in District 13 for dinner, the owner recognized the young artist as soon as he entered and shouted: "Husband! Son! It's singer Thanh Phong!" and ran to hug him. She said: "I listen to you sing on YouTube every day to ease my homesickness. It's been 5 years and I still haven't been home, I miss home so much, listening to you sing makes me feel much less sad, Phong." In response to her affection, Thanh Phong sang a folk song from Nghe Tinh: "I leave, my feet firm as a rock, you stay at home, steadfast as bronze, through the north wind and winter rain, you warm the mat, the ship of righteousness steers steadily with a united heart…" He reminisced: "Outside, the rain in Paris is falling, cold and biting, but inside, human kindness is so warm!"

Proud to be a cultural diplomat .

Artist Le Thanh Phong is currently the Head of the UNESCO Nghe An Folk Song Troupe in Hanoi and an editor for the Folk Song and Traditional Music program on VOV3 - Voice of Vietnam Radio .

He was awarded the Best Actor award at the 2017 Uzbekistan World Folk Music Festival, a Certificate of Merit from the 2019 Yunnan International Television Folk Music Festival, and Certificates of Merit "For the cause of preserving and promoting national cultural heritage" awarded by the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association in 2018, 2019, and 2020…

Besides singing Ví and Giặm folk songs, during the recent Vietnam Day in France 2023, Thanh Phong also supported his colleagues in performances of traditional Vietnamese musical instruments and áo dài fashion shows.

In particular, upon learning that Thanh Phong was working as an editor and presenter of folk and traditional music programs at the Voice of Vietnam Radio, the organizers suggested that he co-host the opening art program with a French-speaking MC.

The assignment came as a surprise, causing Thanh Phong to feel nervous and anxious, but he quickly regained his confidence and completed the task smoothly and impressively.

Artist Le Thanh Phong in his role as a presenter in France. (Photo: Provided by the artist)

Thanh Phong said that he has had many opportunities to perform in cultural exchange programs promoting the image of Vietnam abroad, such as in China, South Korea, Cambodia, Uzbekistan… For him, each time is special, an honor, and he always tells himself to try his best to do well.

He shared: "Every time I have the opportunity to tour abroad, it's a chance to experience new cultures, bring the heritage values ​​of our nation to other lands, and promote Vietnam and its people."

These trips have made me feel even more honored and proud to be a Vietnamese citizen, born and raised in a country rich in cultural identity. I feel I need to live more responsibly towards my homeland and national art.”

Vietnam Day in France 2023 was organized by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with the Vietnamese Cultural Center in France and the Vietnamese Embassy in France. This event commemorated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1973-2023) and the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-France Strategic Partnership (2013-2023).

With the theme "Culture of Sharing," the program showcased a rich and diverse cultural, artistic, and culinary space, leaving guests with a strong impression of a beautiful, peaceful, hospitable, dynamically developing Vietnam, rich in cultural traditions, and bringing Vietnam closer to its friends and the people of France.

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