Efforts to bring traditional art back to contemporary life

Ninh Binh – the land of the historic Hoa Lu Ancient Capital – is not only famous for the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex but also the cradle of many unique folk performing arts. Typical of these are Cheo singing associated with the Cheo profession, Van singing and especially Xam singing – a priceless heritage associated with the name of the legendary folk artist Ha Thi Cau. In order to prevent the risk of fading away and bring traditional arts back to contemporary life, the Ninh Binh Provincial Cultural Center has been actively implementing training programs and fostering traditional arts in a systematic manner, considering this one of the key cultural strategies of the locality.

The training activities are organized in the context that the whole province is promoting the conservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage values, considering this an important endogenous resource for sustainable development. The core objective of the program is to preserve the original heritage through restoring and preserving ancient melodies, singing techniques and traditional musical instruments of Cheo, Van, Xam; at the same time, building a human resource of successors - core cultural nuclei capable of continuing to teach and spread the love of folk art to the community, especially the young generation. At the same time, the training activities contribute to improving the cultural life at the grassroots level, improving the quality of activities of traditional art clubs, meeting the increasing demand for spiritual culture of the people. The classes are chaired by the Provincial Cultural Center (under the Department of Culture and Sports ), closely coordinating with local authorities to organize and widely implement in many localities.

In the final period of 2025, especially in October and November, training activities took place actively and effectively in many localities in the province. On October 9, many localities such as Thanh Binh commune held the closing ceremony of the training class, summarizing and recognizing new artistic talents. On October 14, Yen Son ward and neighboring areas held the opening ceremony of a new training class, attracting more than 80 students in Yen Son ward alone, opening an intensive training period lasting nearly 20 days. Then, on November 3 and 4, Yen Son ward and many other localities held the closing ceremony of the training class, summarizing the training cycle and awarding certificates to students qualified to teach and perform at the grassroots level.

These classes are organized flexibly in terms of duration, ensuring to provide a significant amount of knowledge and practical skills, helping students to deeply understand, sing correctly and confidently perform traditional folk melodies.

In terms of professional content, students are exposed to a systematic training program, from performance techniques, pronunciation, and expression of emotions in Cheo, Van, and Xam singing; to instruction in composing new lyrics praising the Party, Uncle Ho, the homeland, the country, and the achievements of new rural construction. In addition, students are also trained in organizing and choreographing dances, and developing scripts for mass art programs, directly serving the activities of clubs and movements at the grassroots level.

The quality of the training courses is guaranteed by a team of highly qualified, experienced and dedicated lecturers. A typical example is People's Artist Mai Thuy - Deputy Director of the Provincial Traditional Arts Theater, the golden voice of Cheo in Hoa Lu - who directly teaches Cheo and Xam singing techniques. In addition, Meritorious Artist Mai The Tuong - a talented artist with deep expertise in Cheo and Van singing - together with People's Artist Mai Thuy actively organizes and teaches at the grassroots training courses. The team of artists, folk artists, professional musicians of the province, along with professional staff of the Provincial Cultural Center, also participate in instructing students in vocal skills and the use of traditional musical instruments such as the two-stringed fiddle, monochord, drum, senh, and clapper - the characteristic sounds that make up the soul of Xam singing art.

The training participants are quite diverse, including members of traditional art clubs, mass art troupes, vocal teachers, school students and those who love and are passionate about traditional art. This diversity helps to spread the vitality of folk art, while creating a solid source of successors to maintain the traditional cultural movement for a long time.

The training activities of Cheo singing, Van singing, and Xam singing in Ninh Binh have a meaning beyond the scope of a regular course. This is a practical action to preserve the value of folk culture - a "traditional art treasure" of the community, contributing to preserving melodies and songs containing morality, history and local identity. After completing the training course, the trainees become solid cultural cores, helping the clubs operate effectively, contributing to improving the quality of mass cultural and artistic movements throughout the province.

Not only stopping at the conservation value, this activity also opens up a direction for sustainable cultural tourism development. The art of Cheo, Van, Xam - when preserved and performed in its true identity - will become a unique cultural product, attracting domestic and foreign tourists, contributing to promoting the image of Ninh Binh - a land rich in historical traditions and cultural arts. At the same time, this is also a vivid demonstration of the efforts to realize the goal of building an advanced Vietnamese culture, imbued with national identity, contributing to strengthening the dossier submitted to UNESCO for recognition of intangible cultural heritages of the province.

With the dedication of artists such as People's Artist Mai Thuy, Meritorious Artist Mai The Tuong, and the close guidance of the Department of Culture and Sports, the Provincial Cultural Center, and local authorities, the training activities of Cheo singing, Van singing, and Xam singing in Ninh Binh are contributing to bringing the quintessence of national art back into today's life - enriching the spiritual life of the people of the Ancient Capital, while affirming the position of Ninh Binh on the cultural map of Vietnam.

Source: https://ninhbinh.gov.vn/van-hoa-xa-hoi/no-luc-dua-nghe-thuat-truyen-thong-tro-lai-voi-doi-song-duong-dai-359127