Thanh Pháp, born in 1986, is a Cham ethnic artist from Chau Hanh village, Phan Thanh commune, Bac Binh district (Binh Thuan province). He grew up in a farming family with 11 siblings. No one in his family pursued art, but Thanh Pháp developed a passion for singing from a young age.
Thanh Pháp performed on stage wearing traditional Cham attire.
As the tenth child in his family, Thanh Phap's childhood was like that of many other children in the Cham village of Pley Cham, tending goats and cattle along the Luy River and helping his parents with farming and rice planting. While in high school, Thanh Phap joined the Cham ethnic performing arts troupe of Binh Thuan province, performing in many places. After graduating from the Music Education department of the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music , he returned to serve his homeland, working at the Bien Xanh Music and Dance Theatre (under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Binh Thuan province) from then until now.
" I write to honor caring mothers."
With her powerful tenor voice, Thanh Phap can sing many genres of folk music, especially music based on Cham folk traditions.
Thanh Pháp performed on stage wearing traditional Cham attire.
In recent years, he has shifted to composing and arranging music. Some of Thanh Phap's compositions have been praised by experts for their depth and rich national culture, especially those based on Cham folk songs. Notable examples include " Giọt Tháp" (Drop of the Tower), which won a gold medal at the 2021 National Music and Dance Festival in Hai Phong City. Similarly, "Lời Thỉnh Cầu Pô Yan" (Pô Yan's Prayer) , which he composed and performed, won a B prize at the 2022 ASEAN Music Festival in Hoi An City (Quang Nam). Most notably, " Xương Rồng Đất Tháp" (Cactus of the Tower Land) won a gold medal at the National Professional Music Festival held in Binh Duong in September 2024.
In just about 10 years of composing, Thanh Phap has released nearly 60 songs, some of which he says he "wrote with all his heart." For example, regarding the song " Giọt Tháp" (Drop of Tower) , Thanh Phap said: "I took the image of the Cham towers throughout the central provinces, likening them to drops of water bestowed by heaven and earth, rising above the ground. Those were the emotions that prompted me to write this song." As for " Giấc Mơ Shiva" (Shiva's Dream ), it's different. "In the Cham language, Shiva means statue, but there is a traditional Cham dance also called Shiva. I wanted to recreate the traditional dance of my people through music. That's how the song was born, and I was the first to introduce it to the public," Thanh Phap confided.
But for Thanh Phap, his favorite song is still "Cactus of the Tower Land ." He shared: "I wrote it to honor Cham mothers, including the image of my own mother. Cham women struggle to make a living in the scorching sun and harsh winds of the fields during the dry season. They are like cacti in the desert, thriving and green despite the arid conditions to raise their children."
In particular, the song "There Is a Heart ," which Thanh Phap wrote about the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, was composed shortly after he heard the news of his passing. "I thought that a man like him, who dedicated his whole life to the cause of the Party and the people, was gone, but his words, 'Honor is the most sacred and precious thing,' make us reflect. With the affection of a young Party member, I wrote that song very quickly after hearing the news of his death. Later, the song (performed by singer Minh Duc) was produced by Binh Thuan Television and I personally arranged and orchestrated it before its broadcast," Thanh Phap recounted.
promoting traditional culture
Even more remarkably, Thanh Phap had the honor of being invited to perform at two national Party congresses. At the opening ceremony of the 11th National Party Congress (January 12, 2011), Thanh Phap was invited to perform the song "Oh, My Nurisa" (composed by Khanh Vinh, about the Cham people of Southern Vietnam). At the closing ceremony of the 12th National Party Congress (January 28, 2016), Thanh Phap performed the song "Cham Village Thanks Uncle Ho" by composer A Mu Nhan.
In October 2024, Thanh Phap was also invited to perform at the 10th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (October 17, 2024). "I think I'm lucky to have the opportunity to perform at important political events of the country, and it's an honor and a source of pride for an artist, motivating me to strive to improve myself even more," Thanh Phap said.
Thanh Phap also shared: "No matter where I perform, I dedicate myself completely to promoting traditional culture. And whenever I get to perform for the Cham people, listening to their folk songs, I feel as happy as if I were returning to my own home to sing for my mother."
In 2023, Thanh Phap was honored as one of the 70 outstanding figures in the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector. He received numerous Certificates of Merit from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; the Minister and Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities; and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province. Thanh Phap is currently the Head of the Performing Arts Department at the Bien Xanh Music and Dance Theatre in Binh Thuan.
People's Artist Minh Mẫn, former Director of the Blue Sea Music and Dance Theatre, shared: "Thanh Pháp possesses all three elements that make up a promising artist. Firstly, he received formal training at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music. Secondly, he is someone who always strives to excel in all professional circumstances. Thirdly, he is an artist with creative qualities, a fresh perspective, a willingness to learn, and a constant desire for innovation to create valuable works of art to serve the public. I believe that not only will he keep the passion for his craft alive, but Thanh Pháp will also promote and preserve the traditional cultural values of the Cham people in particular and the cultural and artistic movement of Binh Thuan in general."
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nghe-si-thanh-phap-cay-xuong-rong-tren-cat-185250102155023836.htm
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