1. Perhaps for Lieutenant Colonel Ho Thi Hoang Ha, Deputy Head of the Vocal Music Department, Military University of Culture and Arts, every time she mentions the familiar phrase “Entering the Stage…”, all her emotions come flooding back. Therefore, when talking to us at the time of the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day, which had passed more than a month ago, despite being busy with her teaching job, she still choked up, her eyes red with emotion when recalling the memories.
In the commentary team, Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha is the person with the most "seniority" with the honor of participating in commentary for military parades and marches 4 times. Previously, there were the 70th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 2024), the 70th Anniversary of National Day (September 2, 2015) and the 60th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 2014).
Not everyone knows that to become a member of the commentary team, one must undergo an extremely rigorous selection process. Even if they have experience in interpreting for many previous Commemorative Events, MCs must undergo a preliminary selection as if it were their first time. Because according to Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha, not only age and health, but also mood and emotions greatly affect the reading voice.
According to the standards, the voice must be bright, close, with a beautiful timbre, and read at the most comfortable listening level. Preparing for the 30/4/2025 Anniversary Ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha and the members of the team began their journey to Dong Nai to practice from April 3. To meet the requirements of "Must have steel to have a steady reading voice without being cold, must have fire to have a resounding voice without being ostentatious", the narrators practiced day and night, adjusting each reading rhythm, each breath. From the way of emphasizing, spreading words, using breath, and raising the voice to be heroic, enthusiastic and full of emotion.
In addition to practicing together twice a week, the remaining MCs practice in groups twice a day, morning and afternoon. In addition to closely following the script to adjust the speed, voice emotion, and intensity when changing hosts; when practicing, the MCs must absolutely adhere to health and voice care methods such as not staying up late, not eating or drinking cold foods, etc.
“When sitting in the cabin, the narrators look at the script, watch the marching group, listen to the leader's instructions, and have to be very proactive and flexible in reading speed, so it's quite stressful.”
Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha confided that during the days of training with the military branches, she deeply felt the hardships of the soldiers participating in the parade. “Standing on the training ground for half a day was already hard enough. What’s more, the soldiers practice day after day, in the sun and rain… Without willpower, determination, especially discipline and above all, national pride, it would be difficult to overcome.
“When I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, I witnessed the warm affection of the people for the forces participating in the parade. Those things had a great impact on my emotions. Each word spoken is not only information, but also the flesh and blood, the spirit, the pride of the whole nation, arousing patriotism, gratitude to the generations of fathers and brothers. And that is also the message that the Vietnamese people send to international friends. With that determination in me, even though I had health problems 2 days before the main ceremony, I told myself not to be sick. Only when the work was finished and I left the microphone did I collapse from fatigue. Only then did I allow myself to be sick.”
Recalling an unforgettable memory a year ago, when participating in the explanation at the 70th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 2024), Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha accepted the task in a mood of both joy and worry because he had just returned from the hospital for 10 days. “Witnessing the Army and Police forces together overcoming a long journey to practice very hard, before the main ceremony, it rained heavily. Looking from the cabin, seeing the parade blocks still standing solemnly in the rain, no one said anything to each other but all members of the explanation team were in tears. We held hands determined to do our best, not to make any mistakes. And perhaps we did it. The whole team finished the task and burst into happiness as if they had just completed a big competition” – Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha choked up.
2. Born in Da Nang, in a family with a father who was an officer in the Border Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha understands more than anyone that to have "Beautiful Peace", to have jubilant celebrations with flags and flowers, to have heroic armies marching in pride, many generations of fathers and brothers have sacrificed their blood and bones. In the family, one of her brothers sacrificed his life in 1969... She understands even more that to explain in a parade or march is very different from hosting a normal event. At that time, each narrator is a historical storyteller, even if only briefly summarizing in a few lines, those sounds must paint a vivid and emotional picture.
Recalling the first time she was assigned to be a narrator at the 60th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory in 2014, Lieutenant Colonel Ho Thi Hoang Ha emotionally confided: “It was the first time, and there was only one male and one female voice to explain, so I was nervous and under a lot of pressure. But deep inside, I had a strong belief that I could do it. In 1954, my father was on duty as a guard on the road to Dien Bien for the emulation soldiers. On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (2004), my father and the group of officers revisited the old battlefield. Halfway there, due to changes in the weather, his lung disease relapsed, forcing him to return. Since then, my father's health gradually weakened and he passed away in 2012. Two years after my father passed away, I went to Dien Bien to take up the task. At that time, I had a burning desire that my father, far away, would be happy and proud of his daughter who had continued his military career. That day, while sitting in the In the reading cabin, I put a small photo of my father in front of me, to remind myself: "Dad is here, don't worry about anything". And I completed the task for the 60th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory beautifully and proudly, even though at that time I didn't have much experience".
Perhaps, to become one of the voiceover voices that the audience lovingly calls with the phrases "touching the heart", "permeating every sense" or "entering the heart"... in Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha, not only converges the technique of a vocal instructor, the courage of a soldier of Uncle Ho, but more than all, the sensitive heart of a person who always carries within himself the desire to contribute: "Every time the name of the military branch is called, every reminder of the heroic tradition, is a time when the soldier's heart in me tightens - proud and emotional".
Recently, not only practicing his reading, Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ha was also assigned by his superiors to guide and give advice to the young people in the group. “When you are selected, it means that you have the qualities from voice to courage. So what I help them with is experience and knowledge to inspire in each sentence. You have passion, are inquisitive and especially have a great desire to contribute. I always repeat to you what I was told from the first breath of confusion, which is to breathe the soul of national history into each sentence to lift the steps of the parade blocks, those soldiers feel proud, proud and devoted in every movement”.
Source: https://cand.com.vn/Xa-hoi/nguoi-truyen-lua-cho-nhung-nhip-buoc-quan-hanh-i772125/
![[Maritime News] Wan Hai Lines invests $150 million to buy 48,000 containers](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/6/20/c945a62aff624b4bb5c25e67e9bcc1cb)
Comment (0)