Homeland nurtures passion.
Artist Thanh Hong was born and raised in Vinh Hoang, a land famous for preserving the traditional Central Vietnamese folk art form of Bai Choi. His childhood was filled with folk songs, chants, and melodies. Early on, he developed a love for and talent for the art, becoming a prominent figure in the arts even while still in school. This love grew over the years, eventually becoming a passion for him.
Lacking the opportunity to attend art school, for many years he painstakingly sought out artisans in Quang Tri and Hue provinces to learn about folk songs and traditional music. Following that, he spent another three years attending numerous training courses organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
From then on, he mastered the knowledge and skills of folk performing arts, becoming proficient in playing many musical instruments, participating in performances, composing new lyrics, developing scripts, and editing and directing programs. With his extensive knowledge, he actively returned to serving the cultural movement at the grassroots level, especially in teaching and spreading the love of folk art.
Distinguished artisan Thanh Hong shared: “Folk songs were formed from the lives and production activities of our ancestors, and are a beautiful cultural feature with significant meaning in the lives of the Vietnamese people. These simple lullabies, folk songs, and ballads instill love for our homeland and country, and provide optimistic vitality to generations, including us. Proud to be a child of a homeland that preserves this traditional art form, recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, and fortunate to have met and been taught by senior artisans, I always believe that I should not only use my songs and music to serve the people, but also do something to contribute to the preservation and conservation of folk art in my locality.”
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Distinguished artisan Nguyen Thanh Hong dedicates much time to cultivating and developing the valuable heritage of folk songs and ballads - Photo: D.V. |
The founder of the Song Hien Folk Song Club
In 2017, with the support of local authorities and specialized departments, artisan Thanh Hong proposed and took the initiative to connect people who love folk art to establish the Song Hien Folk Song Club, and has served as its chairman to this day.
Recalling the founding of the Song Hien Folk Song Club, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Thanh Hong shared: “Initially, the club attracted over 50 members of various ages and backgrounds. Despite facing difficulties due to a lack of facilities and resources, everyone remained united and worked hard to build a stronger club with passion and responsibility…”
For over eight years, under the leadership of artisan Thanh Hong, the Song Hien Folk Song Club has actively collected ancient lyrics, composed new lyrics, practiced musical instruments, organized performances combined with the dissemination and teaching of folk songs, and enthusiastically participated in mass art programs and competitions on holidays, national anniversaries, and cultural festivals in each locality.
On the other hand, the club regularly participates in major programs, festivals, and competitions at the provincial, cluster, and regional levels. Through these activities, it effectively promotes the value of folk art to a wide audience. As a result, many departments, agencies, units, and localities in the province have contacted the club to contract for performances and staging of folk art performances. Many of these performances have achieved high rankings at festivals, competitions, and exhibitions.
In particular, the Song Hien Folk Song Club collaborates with schools and youth organizations to popularize folk songs in schools through performances at folk culture festivals, extracurricular programs, and school cultural competitions. The flame of love for folk art from the club continues to spread, inspiring the next generation and attracting many promising talents. Many young people, from their initial interest and exploration, have come to appreciate the unique charm of this folk art form.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, a teacher at Vinh Lam Kindergarten in Vinh Thuy commune, said: “Thanks to the folk song lessons taught by the members of the Song Hien Folk Song Club, especially by artisan Thanh Hong, the younger generation like us feels a love for it. We hope to learn more and then pass on the lessons to others, especially students and people in our community, to serve cultural and artistic activities at the local level…”
A desire to contribute more.
With his dedication to folk art, artisan Thanh Hong has received numerous awards, certificates of merit, and commendations. In recognition of these achievements, in 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded him a commemorative medal for his contributions to culture, sports, and tourism. In 2022, he was awarded the title of Outstanding Artisan in the field of folk performing arts. Artisan Thanh Hong is one of the youngest outstanding artisans in the former Quang Tri province.
He stated that, as an artist and while he still has the health and ability to contribute to society, he will strive to realize many of his cherished plans. Looking ahead, the Song Hien Folk Song Club will continue to focus on improving the quality of its artistic activities, attracting members, expanding its scale by rejuvenating its team, and emphasizing long-term training to build a new generation of artists. At the same time, it will organize many beneficial artistic programs and events, connecting and encouraging those who love folk art to continuously create, nurture their love for folk art, and further develop the movement of collecting, composing, and performing folk art.
"We are also proposing to the education authorities at all levels to consider incorporating folk songs into the curriculum of extracurricular activities in schools, with the aim of helping the younger generation learn about and appreciate them, thereby fostering an awareness of preserving the traditional cultural values of our homeland and nation," artisan Thanh Hong further shared.
Duc Viet - Nguyen Trang
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202512/nghe-nhan-uu-tu-nguyen-thanh-hong-gan-40-nam-tam-huyet-voi-nghe-thuat-dan-gian-1a026c5/
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