Musician - Meritorious Artist Huy So passed away

Musician Huy So's real name is Huynh Sanh Chau (born in 1928), his colleagues used to call him Huy So. He was called that because his trumpet sound once awakened the entire war zone. He was called that because the songs he wrote not only resounded from loudspeakers but also echoed in people's hearts, from Phan Thiet - his windy and sandy hometown to the fiery Truong Son.

He was the one who blew the brass trumpet at the age of 17 amidst the bombs and bullets, contributing to protecting the lands of Song Quao, Mui Ne, Tanh Linh... He gathered all his love, memories, and losses into music, spread them into poems, and wrote stories, as if he was afraid that he would leave without having time to leave behind what was distilled from his heart.

Musician Huy So

People say he is a musician. But his poetry also moves. His writing also holds. There is something simple, sincere and slightly cold like the sea breeze blowing through the hair of an old soldier sitting next to an old bomb crater, remembering his comrades, who are only in his memory.

Musician Huy So is a native of Binh Thuan, received formal music training in the North and was sent to study symphony conducting at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (former Soviet Union). His life is an example of pure, persistent, and passionate artistic work with valuable and admirable contributions.

He was born in Phu Trinh, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan, joined the revolution in 1945, and gathered in the North in October 1954. During his career, he held many different positions: Head of the Art Troupe of Military Region 4 (1965-1970); Editor of Arts and Literature of Radio B - Voice of Vietnam (1971-1975); Head of the Thuan Hai Music and Dance Troupe (1976-1980); Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Information (1981-1985); Vice President of the Literature and Arts Association of Thuan Hai Province (1986-1990).

During the resistance war against the US to save the country, he was assigned to serve on the battlefield as both a manager and an artistic director in the fierce Quang Binh frontline. He was honored to join the Inter-Zone 5 Art Troupe to perform in Hanoi many times for Uncle Ho.

While working as an editor of the Radio Program for the Military Affairs of the Voice of Vietnam, he directly composed, edited, and staged many musical programs that had a strong and timely propaganda effect, making a practical contribution to the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country. Some typical works in this period include: “Advancing to Khe Sanh”; “Heroic Con Co”; “Passing the Bridges”; “The Village Names Call Us to Go”; “The Song of Labor”; “The Song of Those Who Go Far Away”…

After the war, he returned to his homeland in 1976 and started building the Thuan Hai Song, Dance and Music Troupe from the early days when it was still full of difficulties and shortages. Under his and his colleagues' dedicated guidance, over time many generations of singers, dancers and musicians have grown in their expertise, becoming People's Artists and Meritorious Artists known throughout the country. Some typical names include: People's Artist Dang Hung (1936-2022), People's Artist Minh Man, People's Artist Thu Van.

He has nearly two hundred works praising his homeland, country, beloved leader Ho Chi Minh, praising the glorious Party, notably: Chorus "My Homeland of Wind and Sand", "Call from the Sea and Islands"; Suite of poems based on President Ho Chi Minh's poems "A Whole Life of Restlessness"; typical songs: "Singing about the Future Spring", "Your Name Lives Forever", "I Love the Small Island of My Homeland", "Remembering the Glorious Party", "I Go Planting Trees", "Uncle Ho's Shadow in My Homeland"...

In addition to music, he also composed literature and poetry, researched local culture, and participated in compiling the Binh Thuan Geographical Chronicle. Some of his published works include: The song collection “Forever like autumn” (jointly published - 1985); The song collection (with cassette tape) “Singing about the future spring” (1997); the short story collections “March Sun” (1987), “Legend of Lang Nuoc Noi” (1997), the poetry collection “Verses that go with the years” (2009).

In the field of research, he has done in-depth research on Cham music, including Ri Cha Prong dance music and drum pieces serving traditional rituals of the Cham people in Ninh - Binh Thuan.

He has also written hundreds of articles reflecting the progress of his homeland and country; praising examples of "good people - good deeds" shining in everyday life. He was awarded the Duc Thanh Literature and Arts Award for the first time (1992-1995), the fifth time (2012-2017) by the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province; was awarded the Medal for the Cause of Vietnamese Literature and Arts (2002) and many other noble medals and awards.

In order to recognize and honor his outstanding contributions to the field of culture and arts over the past 60 years, on November 28, 2023, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam signed a Decision to confer the title of Meritorious Artist on veteran musician Huy So.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/nhac-si-nsut-huy-so-qua-doi-196250416095600006.htm