Keep the soul of the five-tone music

On a weekend afternoon, we visited Soc Sau Pagoda in Go Quao Commune. In the drizzling rain, the sounds of Khmer people’s instruments, drums, trumpets, etc. resounded with each bustling beat. With the enthusiastic guidance of Mr. Danh Nghiep, the children practiced enthusiastically, immersing themselves in the pentatonic music.

Mr. Danh Nghiep is instructing children to play pentatonic music. Photo: TIEU DIEN

Passion for traditional music

Mr. Danh Nghiep, residing in An Phu hamlet, Go Quao commune, was born and raised in a family with a tradition of performing arts. His house was near the pagoda, so Mr. Nghiep's childhood was associated with festivals at the pagoda and he often watched pentatonic music performances. The gentle, melodies of pentatonic music penetrated deeply into his soul. Danh Nghiep's love and passion for pentatonic music grew over the years. At the age of 17, Mr. Nghiep followed the monks at the pagoda to learn to play music. He constantly tried to learn and practice.

After a few years, Nghiep has been able to play all the instruments in the pentatonic orchestra proficiently and has been involved for more than 7 years. Currently, Nghiep is the Chairman of the Khmer Arts Club in An Phu hamlet. Nghiep shared: "Learning pentatonic music is not easy. To be able to play it, you need to be persistent, practice hard and have a love for this instrument."

In addition to his passion, Nghiep also wishes to preserve the nation's cultural identity. At the age of 26, he is always worried that the nation's traditional musical instruments will be lost. He hopes that the younger generation can continue and develop pentatonic music, passing it on from generation to generation. In 2022, Nghiep opened a free pentatonic music class for children at Soc Sau Pagoda. The young man's journey to preserve traditional cultural identity has begun.

Every weekend afternoon, Nghiep spends time teaching the children. In his free time, he also teaches pentatonic music at Khmer pagodas in the commune. In addition to teaching pentatonic music, Nghiep also teaches traditional dances of the Khmer people. "I am willing to share and teach my experience to children who have a passion and love for pentatonic music," Nghiep said.

Mr. Nghiep's efforts to preserve the musical genre are worthy of recognition and praise. In 2025, Mr. Nghiep was awarded a certificate of merit by the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports for his good achievements in preserving and promoting the traditional artistic values ​​of the Khmer people in the province.

Passing the torch to the younger generation

With the enthusiasm and perseverance of Mr. Nghiep, the small class at Soc Sau Pagoda is not only a useful playground but also contributes to nurturing and passing on the traditional culture to the young generation. In the bustling pentatonic music every weekend, the children are passionate about learning to play the instruments and drums. Currently, Mr. Nghiep's pentatonic music class at Soc Sau Pagoda has 16 students, the youngest member is 10 years old. The children here are also members of the pagoda's pentatonic music team, often performing on holidays and New Year's at the pagoda and cultural events in the area. Mr. Nghiep shared: "The children all have a love for pentatonic music, a passion for learning, diligence and hard work. That is the joy and motivation for me to continue my journey of preserving and promoting the traditional cultural identity of the Khmer people."

Thanks to the free pentatonic music class, many children who love this type of music have a place to practice. Danh Thi Bich Thi, a resident of An Tho hamlet, Go Quao commune, said: “When I first started playing musical instruments, it was very difficult. Thanks to Mr. Nghiep's dedicated teaching, playing each basic note, after 2 years of studying, I was able to play several musical instruments proficiently. I learned many good things and was inspired to continue preserving and developing the traditional cultural arts of the nation.”

Sharing the same passion for playing pentatonic music, Danh Minh, a resident of An Tho hamlet, regularly attends classes every weekend. “Before, when I went to the pagoda and saw the older brothers and sisters playing music, I really liked it. I studied for nearly 2 years and know how to play a few musical instruments. Later, if I have the opportunity, I will open a class like Nghiep to teach the children,” Danh Minh confided.

At dusk, we left Soc Sau Pagoda, the pentatonic music still resounded as if demonstrating the determination of young people who are preserving and conserving the traditional musical instruments of the Khmer people.

Small Farm

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/giu-hon-nhac-ngu-am-a466659.html