Vietnamese folk songs resonate in foreign lands.

Student Duong Nhat Truong in Kansas, USA, has brought the "Trong Com" folk song to the international stage, transforming music into a bridge connecting Vietnamese culture and history.

Before "Trống cơm" (Rice Drum) resonated through the auditorium of Wichita State University, Nhật Trường (23 years old, from Hanoi) spent months preparing, from composing music to rehearsing with the Concert Chorale. For this Hanoi student, the performance was not just a musical show, but also a journey to tell the story of Vietnam to international friends. Nhật Trường came to the US to study in early 2021, majoring in classical piano and choral conducting at Wichita State University.

He is one of three outstanding music education graduates of 2025, selected to speak at the Asian and Asian American student awards ceremony, and is going on to pursue a master's degree in educational psychology.

Concert Chorale is the largest choir at Wichita State University, with members studying opera, music education, choral conducting, and drama.

Vietnamese is rich in tones and accents, so speaking it sounds like singing a song. When teaching the song "Trong Com" (Rice Drum), Truong doesn't have to worry about accents for foreign students because the melody itself already reflects the characteristic Vietnamese intonation – something he's always proud of.

Truong patiently guides students on how to pronounce vowels and consonants correctly. For example, with syllables like "uyen," "ong," "om," or "uong"... He finds English words with similar sounds to help students easily make associations. For difficult consonants like "kh," "ng," or "t," Truong sings or reads aloud for students to repeat until they become familiar with the sound.

The idea of ​​bringing "Trống cơm" (Rice Drum) to the Candlelight concert stage, introducing Vietnamese music to international friends, had been nurtured by Dương Nhật Trường since his third year of university. (Photo provided by the subject)

However, the most difficult thing for him wasn't teaching students Vietnamese pronunciation, but helping them understand the significance of folk songs in Vietnamese cultural life. To achieve this, Truong spent a lot of time researching the history and geography of the Northern Delta region, studying the musical characteristics of Quan Ho folk songs from Bac Ninh , and the story behind the ancient poem about the "rice drum" musical instrument. "There were days when I stayed up until 2 or 3 in the morning just thinking about how to convey the message logically and easily. Music is not just a melody, but also a means of transmitting Vietnamese culture and history," Truong recounted.

After four rehearsals, the results were surprising. A video clip from the rehearsal that Nhat Truong posted on social media attracted millions of views and garnered much love from the online community. Many members of the choir approached Truong privately to thank him for the opportunity to experience Vietnamese culture.

Truong realized that music is an effective bridge, but it only truly works when combined with knowledge and cultural context. His success stems not only from his personal ability and effort but also from gratitude and a spirit of perseverance. Throughout nearly five years of studying and working in the US, Truong lived modestly, independently, diligently practicing his piano for 4-5 hours a day, saving money, seeking scholarships, and taking advantage of every learning opportunity. Gratitude was the guiding star that led him to meet wonderful people and find a positive environment.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/dan-ca-viet-ngan-vang-noi-xu-nguoi-196251206203319095.htm