REPORTER: Seeing millions of audiences enthusiastically receive your work must be a great happiness in your creative life?
Composer NGUYEN VAN CHUNG: In 23 years of composing, this is the first time I have felt such great happiness, honor, and pride. My previous songs about love, family, and children have been popular to a certain extent with the public, but with Continue Writing the Story of Peace, it is more special, as its influence is not limited by age, profession, etc.
What inspired you to try writing songs about this genre?
I have also had some success in other musical fields, so I want to challenge myself. I consider composing as a career, not just a job. If it were a job, I would just follow the flow of music to write music and make money. However, this is a career, a life ideal, so I hope to do more meaningful things. Besides worrying about food and money, every artist wants to have works that have social value and a professional mark.
You once confided that trips to the source made you feel more emotional and grateful than your predecessors. Can you share some of those special moments?
In recent years, the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City, and the Ho Chi Minh City Music Association have created conditions for me to participate in many trips back to the source, to historical sites that mark a painful but heroic time. I will always remember the moment I stood still in the middle of Hang Duong Cemetery (Con Dao), looking at thousands of nameless, shapeless, ageless martyrs' graves. I also saw thousands of other graves with headstones stating that they were only eighteen or twenty - the most beautiful age of a person's life. I stood still in the prisons in Con Dao, feeling somewhat the cramped, dark cells, the brutal tortures... Yet at that time, my uncles, mothers, and aunts still fought steadfastly from inside the prison, sacrificing themselves and firmly believing in a tomorrow. Just imagining it, I felt deep emotions in my heart. It was that source of gratitude that gave me many emotions to sit down and write songs of gratitude.
Right after the song Continue the story of peace reached more than 3 billion views , musician Nguyen Van Chung expressed his gratitude to veterans by donating a portion of the revenue from this song in April. He also donated a music book of 300 children's songs to 12,000 teachers. Having composed children's music for 15 years, Nguyen Van Chung is very passionate about children's music, hoping that this music genre will make a strong comeback with quality programs and that children will be able to sing age-appropriate songs.
Not stopping at Continuing the story of peace, are you working on many new compositions?
I also want to write many works praising President Ho Chi Minh ; expressing gratitude to the forces who silently protect the Fatherland and the people's lives day and night; expressing gratitude to the noble hearts in life... In the near future, I will send to the audience songs such as "Sea, the Earth and the Sky" to express gratitude to the Vietnam People's Army, and "Swearing for Peace" to express gratitude to the People's Public Security force.
In your opinion, what should be paid attention to in composing, mixing, and promoting traditional music on music platforms and social networks in the coming time to attract more young audiences?
We must be more open, approach young people with appropriate genres but still maintain the spirit and message so that the work can spread more easily. The important thing is that the audience must listen - listen a lot to understand and feel.
In my opinion, we need to focus on standard lyrics, respect the pure beauty of the Vietnamese language, the heroic spirit as well as the positive energy of the song. The way of mixing and arranging music, storytelling should be more youthful and fresh... All of these things come not only from the composer but also from the units that promote the composition, the people who popularize the work, the media units, the stages that create conditions for artists to perform the song...
As an artist who treats colleagues in a very civilized and kind manner and is also very straightforward in speaking up about things that are not right or beautiful, what makes you maintain a way of life that is not afraid of conflict?
Perhaps I inherited a part of my father and mother's personality. My father is very determined in his chosen path, always ready to accept challenges in his career, and keep his word. My mother is the same. She always reminds me from the time I first started composing until now, that word of mouth is the most important thing in a person's life. Having prestige and self-respect helps me not to fall into temptation or get confused by relationships that blind me.
You have recently become the Inspirational Ambassador of the Cricket Awards. What will you do to continue promoting and spreading children's music, which is difficult to talk about in terms of profit?
Children's music brings great spiritual value. If we make children's music with passion and quality, we can contribute to positively changing a generation of Vietnamese children, from creativity, aesthetic taste to a beautiful, strong soul. I will call on artists to boldly introduce children's compositions to the public. I hope that I and other artists will become the first matches to light up the modern children's music movement.
Performed by TIEU TAN
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/nhac-si-nguyen-van-chung-nhan-len-long-biet-on-lan-toa-tinh-yeu-nuoc-post798591.html
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