The young man Vo Van Ky

While a first-year student at Hue University of Education, due to family circumstances, Ky had to put his studies on hold. However, during his time studying in Hue, perhaps the scenery and people of Hue captivated his soul, leading him to love this land and especially Hue folk songs. During his visits to the Hue Chamber Music Club at 25 Le Loi Street, the melodious, enchanting tunes of Hue folk songs deeply touched the young man's heart, a lover of traditional arts. He began to teach himself Hue folk songs on YouTube. From his initial awkwardness, Ky can now sing many major pieces quite fluently, such as: Co Ban Dung, Long Ngam, Tuong Tu Khuc...

For today's younger generation, the dynamic pace of life, the current trends, and modern music genres mean that appreciating traditional values, especially traditional music, is not something everyone easily develops from the very beginning. Speaking of Hue folk songs, not everyone from Hue easily understands and loves this scholarly art form, so for someone from a foreign land to have such a love for Hue and Hue folk songs as Vo Van Ky is rare.

There are also other people from Quang Nam who are passionate about Hue folk songs that I know of. These are three brothers: Van Cong Hoang, Van Cong Le, and Van Cong Vy. They are talented people from Quang Nam, with a high level of knowledge and understanding of traditional music, and they know how to play and sing many major pieces in Hue folk songs. When poet Vo Que – the head of the Hue Folk Song Club – saw them on YouTube, he searched for them, and that was the beginning of a serendipitous encounter that later led to a close and friendly connection between the Tam Van group and the Hue Folk Song Chamber Club.

Returning to the young man Vo Van Ky. Although he has now put aside his studies in Hue to go to Da Nang to take care of his elderly, ailing mother, he occasionally misses Hue folk songs and crosses the Hai Van Pass to visit the Hue Chamber Music Club, where he can sit on a mat, pour his emotions and love into the lyrics to satisfy his passion.

Due to difficult circumstances, he didn't dare take a bus and instead rode his motorbike to Hue. On some cold, rainy nights, he would come to the club just to sit and sing a song, and the next morning he would ride his motorbike back to Da Nang before dawn. Besides his love for Hue folk singing, Vo Van Ky is also a collaborator with the Song Han Bài Chòi Club in Da Nang.

In addition, I also try to dedicate time to participating in the charitable project "One Picture - Many Hopes" as a volunteer, with programs like "Singing for My Patients" held monthly at the Oncology Department of Hue Central Hospital, and later expanded to Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Tinh. Here, I participate in staging artistic performances of Bài Chòi and Hue folk songs, contributing my singing along with other volunteers, and organizing gift-giving and interaction sessions to alleviate the suffering of patients.

Passionate about art and cherishing traditional values, every time she performs, she meticulously prepares her costume, vocals, and posture, even if it means traveling a long distance. Perhaps this is how she wants to show her seriousness towards art and her respect for the elegant Hue folk singing tradition in front of her appreciative audience.

Text and photos: Trang Thùy

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/chang-trai-da-nang-me-ca-hue-163975.html