Keeping the 'soul of rowing' in modern times

In the modern pace of life, when new music genres, market stages and entertainment technology are developing strongly, few people expect that in Thai Nguyen the sound of Cheo drums still resounds regularly, Cheo artists are making efforts to integrate folk heritage into today's life.

Performance of the Cheo play "Nam Viet Emperor - Ten Thousand Spring Seasons" at the 2025 National Cheo Festival in Bac Ninh .

At the Thai Nguyen Province Ethnic Arts Troupe, each Cheo practice session is like a “revival” of the national soul. Meritorious Artist Ha Bac, Head of the Cheo Department, shared: Cheo is the heritage of our ancestors, the soul of the nation. But if we only preserve it without renewing it, it will gradually drift away from the public. Integration, for us, means renewing so that young audiences can still recognize the “soul of Cheo” in each melody.

Most recently, the play “Nam Viet De - Van Mua Xuan” - a work elaborately staged to participate in the 2025 National Cheo Festival, has achieved many results with 1 Excellent Award for historical themes awarded by the Vietnam Stage Artists Association, 2 individual Gold Medals, 5 individual Silver Medals. This achievement not only affirms the artistic quality and enduring creative spirit of Thai Nguyen artists, but also contributes to spreading the value of traditional art to the public in the new era.

Immediately after the performance, the entire Cheo play “Nam Viet De - Van Mua Xuan” was uploaded to Youtube for the public. Currently, the Provincial Ethnic Arts Troupe only has about 15 Cheo artists performing regularly, but their activities have not been interrupted. They still travel to remote areas and schools to bring folk art to the people.

A Cheo practice session cannot be without the sound of small drums, big drums, Nguyet lutes, Nhi lutes, Bau lutes and resounding flutes. However, with the integration, musicians now use Tam Thap Luc lutes, Tieu, and even electronic instruments to create new colors for the music .

Young artist Duong Lan said: We learn to mix music with modern instruments to make the audience feel closer. The form may change, but the original Cheo spirit remains. Not only innovating in music and staging, Thai Nguyen Cheo is also entering the "digital stage". Many plays are recorded and broadcast on Youtube, TikTok, Facebook... attracting thousands of views.

Despite the remarkable progress, Thai Nguyen Cheo still faces many difficulties. There are few young audiences, investment funds are limited, and the artist team is gradually shrinking.

Meritorious Artist Ha Bac frankly shared: We only have about 15 people left. Each performance is a challenge. But if we give up, Cheo will lose its place in life. Therefore, everyone considers preserving Cheo as a responsibility, not just a profession. Besides the efforts of artists, Cheo Thai Nguyen also needs support from all levels, from bringing Cheo into schools, opening training classes for young people, to building a permanent performance space for audiences to easily access.

Integration does not mean losing one’s identity, but rather bringing that identity to the world. For Cheo artists, it is a persistent journey between tradition and modernity, between folk and technology. From the drumbeat in the communal house yard to the echoes on digital platforms, Thai Nguyen Cheo is gradually asserting its new vitality.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202511/giu-hon-cheo-giua-thoi-hien-dai-a053bc5/