'Living heritage' singer Hoang Trong Kha passes away at the age of 102

Artisan Hoang Trong Kha and artist Trinh Ngoc Minh - Photo: Provided by Nguyen Quang Long

The funeral of artist Hoang Trong Kha took place on the afternoon of February 17 at the funeral home of Viet Xo Hospital, Hanoi.

Funeral and funeral service in the afternoon of the same day, burial at Hoan Vu crematorium, Hanoi.

Music critic Nguyen Quang Long informed Tuoi Tre Online that currently there are not many excellent artisans of the Hat Van heritage in our country, Mr. Hoang Trong Kha is one of the few, so "the news of his passing still makes my heart flutter and feel a sense of loss," he said.

According to Mr. Long, artist Hoang Trong Kha is a practitioner of the ancient art of singing.

Talking about artist Hoang Trong Kha, Mr. Long said, "Mr. Kha plays the instrument very disciplined, following the rules and styles of each region." Anyone who studies with him knows that he is a very strict teacher. He teaches his students systematically, from how to sit and cross their legs.

Mr. Long said that at the end of last year, Mr. Kha was weak, could no longer play the guitar, sing, and even had difficulty talking.

However, when talking about music and singing, about his life associated with the wonderful sounds of Hat Van, Mr. Kha gradually became more alert, his face brightened, and he talked more.

When Trinh Ngoc Minh, a young artist, "suggested" a few words, the old man immediately sang along.

The previous times I visited Mr. Kha, he talked about playing instruments, singing, and passing on his craft. He also opened ancient documents on singing in Han Nom script to read, translate, and explain to the young artists.

"He went to heaven and continued to play and sing to honor the ancestors. Farewell, my dear - the living legacy of singing literature," said Nguyen Quang Long.

Meritorious artist Hoang Trong Kha was born in 1923 in Hanoi in a family with a musical tradition.

His father was a singer, so from the age of 10, he began to be taught Chinese characters and singing by his father.

During almost his entire life as a singer, he traveled everywhere and entered many temples, shrines, and palaces to sing.

In March 2012, veteran musician Hoang Trong Kha was officially awarded a certificate of recognition as an excellent artist by the Folk Arts Association.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/di-san-song-hat-van-hoang-trong-kha-qua-doi-tho-102-tuoi-20240217155801891.htm