Many elderly people worry that the Cheo style is fading away.

Despite being busy with many jobs, members of the Gia Coc Village Folk Song Club, Tu Cuong Commune (Thanh Mien, Hai Duong) still take time to practice every morning.

Amateur artists

Early in the morning, the house in the small alley of Mr. Bui Xuan Tuyen in Gia Coc village, Tu Cuong commune (Thanh Mien, Hai Duong) resounds with laughter and clear cheo melodies. This is the regular meeting place of the Gia Coc Village Cheo Folk Song Club.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuong, Vice President of Gia Coc Village Folk Song Club, is nearly 70 years old this year, but her Cheo songs are still sweet and full of vitality. Born into a family with parents who are Cheo singers, ancient Cheo songs are deeply ingrained in her subconscious. Her passion has grown from there.

"During the day we go to the fields and at night we sing cheo. At first, we were not used to standing on stage, but the moments of immersing ourselves in cheo melodies helped members relive the glorious past, foster pride and promote the role of the elderly in daily life. Therefore, the club's activities have received positive responses from officials and people in the commune. The club has also been invited to perform at communal houses and pagodas both inside and outside the province," said Ms. Thuong.

Club members come together through their love of rowing.

Mr. Bui Xuan Tuyen, Chairman of the Gia Coc Village Folk Song Club, is one of the seniors who plays an important role in the local Cheo Club. He has been passionate about sweet and soulful Cheo melodies since he was a child, but it was not until his worries about making ends meet that he was able to live his life to the fullest with his love for folk art. Without any remuneration, he voluntarily gave his family's effort, time and space to build a Cheo Club with members from the neighborhood and outside the village. Then, every evening and early morning, he and 22 club members practice songs and dances praising the love of the homeland and country.

Ms. To Thi Chuot (nearly 60 years old) in Lung Quy village, Kien Quoc commune (Ninh Giang, Hai Duong) has always been passionate about Cheo melodies. Although she did not go through any professional training, she inherited her family's sweet Cheo singing voice since she was a child. Plays such as: "Quan Am Thi Kinh", "Tam Cam", "Ai mua hanh cho toi"... along with dozens of Cheo stories, excerpts and hundreds of ancient Cheo scenes have been passed down from generation to generation. Not only does she sing, she also writes scripts, directs and performs her Cheo plays.

Although not professional artists or actors, with love and passion, many elderly people have learned and improved their knowledge of the art of Cheo and are active participants in local cultural and artistic activities. Despite their advanced age, they have become the ones who “keep the fire” and “pass on the fire” to the community, especially helping the younger generation to have more passion and join hands to preserve the national culture.

Painful with the rowing sentence

"Passing on" the passion for Cheo to the younger generation is something that many Cheo lovers always think about.

The Gia Coc Village Folk Song Cheo Club has 22 members, including 7 musicians and the rest are actors. For no other purpose, the people in the club come together with a love of Cheo. From the rudimentary practice sessions lacking everything, the club has now equipped many musical instruments such as monochord, tam, luu, nhi, flute... Overcoming the "village bamboo fence", Cheo melodies have reached more Cheo lovers. However, they still have concerns about what to do to "pass on the fire" to the younger generation?

Mr. Tuyen shared: "Being born in the land of Cheo, I will sing Cheo until my health does not allow me to stop. Many young people today no longer love Cheo like before, so I have to try to make them see the meaning of Cheo melodies; even if they do not follow the Cheo career, everyone knows the Cheo of their homeland, so that the art of Cheo will not be lost over the years."

The musicians of Gia Coc Village Folk Song Club are all old, and it is difficult to find young successors.

The love of Cheo has helped Mr. Pham Van Dao in Thanh Mien town become a musician. Thanks to the sounds of the zither, flute, and two-string fiddle of musicians like Mr. Dao, the Cheo melodies become sweeter and more attractive. However, Mr. Dao considers himself "the last musician" in the locality. This is also the concern of many Cheo enthusiasts like Mr. Dao and Mr. Tuyen.

Cheo art with its smooth melodies reflects the thoughts and aspirations of the people, helping to enrich their spiritual life. However, currently, the people who love Cheo melodies are mainly the elderly. Preserving and spreading this art among the masses is facing many difficulties, requiring the attention of local authorities and cultural management agencies.

Preserving and conserving the art of Cheo through festivals, opening training courses, and teaching it to the younger generation, as well as creating funding to support Cheo clubs in the community to maintain their activities is necessary. This will help "keep the fire" and "pass on the fire" to future generations of Cheo lovers.

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Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/nhieu-nguoi-cao-tuoi-lo-dieu-cheo-bi-mai-mot-406414.html