Cultivating happiness through a passion for traditional Vietnamese folk music.

On Sunday morning, in their apartment in Tan An ward, artist Hoang Nhan played the zither with his son Trong Phuc. His wife, Mrs. Da Thao, spontaneously sang a few lines of traditional Vietnamese folk songs, blending them with the father and son's music. A joyful atmosphere permeated the air with the sweet melodies and lyrics.

"The talented family" of artist Hoang Nhan.

At the recent Southern Folk Music and Singing Festival in Can Tho City, Huynh Trong Phuc was awarded for being the youngest contestant, with an impressive instrumental performance. His precise and mature playing, along with his excellent sense of pitch, revealed that this "artist" is only 13 years old and has just finished 6th grade. Upon inquiry, it was discovered that Trong Phuc comes from a family with a long tradition of traditional Southern Vietnamese folk music in Ca Mau . His father, Hoang Nhan, is an artist currently residing in Can Tho City, renowned for his zither playing and instrument repair skills.

In the small house of artisan Hoang Nhan, dozens of musical instruments are hung throughout, along with sound equipment still under repair. On weekend mornings, Trong Phuc brings out his instruments to practice with his father. What surprises everyone is that he can play many traditional Vietnamese musical instruments such as the concave-fretted guitar, zither, lute, gourd lute, lute, fiddle, gourd lute, classical violin, drums, and bo. His forte is the concave-fretted guitar, the zither, and the classical violin. The classical violin is a very demanding instrument due to its difficulty and the many skills required; not many artisans currently use this instrument, but Trong Phuc is very passionate about it and practices regularly.

According to artisan Hoang Nhan, because his family had a tradition of traditional Vietnamese folk music, Trong Phuc was introduced to the instrument at the young age of 4-5. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while at home, father and son practiced playing the zither. At that time, Phuc was only 6 years old, but he surprised his father with his excellent sense of pitch, quick reflexes in each note and melody, and his rapid learning ability. Trong Phuc recounted: “I remember the first song my father taught me was ‘Kim Tien Hue ,’ then ‘Son Dong Huong Ma,’ and then ‘Ly My Tra’… The more I learned and knew how to play, the more I enjoyed it and wanted my father to teach me more.”

When asked what fueled his passion for traditional Vietnamese music, Trong Phuc said it was probably because he grew up in a family with a tradition of traditional music, and especially because he "wanted to be special in everyone's eyes." Phuc's way of being "special" is to bring out the rich, resonant sounds of dozens of instruments through his skillful playing.

Artisan Hoang Nhan shared that he is from Ca Mau province and has been living and working in Can Tho city for over a decade. He has known how to play the instrument since childhood and has a very keen ear for the sound of musical instruments. It was this special ability that led him to teach himself how to repair instruments, which he then turned into a side job.

To date, Mr. Hoang Nhan can repair many musical instruments and sound systems, and most traditional folk music artists throughout the Southern region know and trust him. He is nicknamed "the instrument doctor." In addition, artist Hoang Nhan is proficient in playing the zither and has participated in many large-scale programs in Can Tho City. He is very happy to have Trong Phuc as his "successor."

Trong Phuc's mother, Nguyen Thi Da Thao, although not a member of any traditional music clubs, possesses a beautiful and soulful singing voice. Whenever they have free time, the family gathers together, some playing instruments and others singing to satisfy their passion and strengthen their bonds. Mrs. Da Thao said: "I am very happy that Trong Phuc learns to play instruments so quickly and has a talent for it. This is also a skill that will help him become more confident in life."

As for Trong Phuc, he said that he needs to learn and hone his guitar skills even more. Besides learning from his father, Trong Phuc also searches for videos on the internet and musical scores of masters of traditional music to learn from and improve his skills.

Occasionally, Trong Phuc accompanies his father to perform for fans. He is very happy to receive encouragement and support from everyone. His small, warm, and loving family continues to nurture their happiness day by day through traditional Vietnamese folk music.

Text and photos: DANG HUYNH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/vun-boi-hanh-phuc-tu-dam-me-don-ca-tai-tu-a205604.html