The flame of an artisan's profession
It can be affirmed that the team of traditional musical instruments players in Quang Nam and Da Nang city in particular, the whole Central region in general, when mentioning the folk artist Nguyen Chau (Tu Chau, born in 1907) in Nghi An village, Hoa Phat, Hoa Vang district, Da Nang... everyone knows. Artist Nguyen Chau loved the sound of drums and the sound of the zither since he was a child because he was born in a land with many skilled people.
At the age of 12, he began to practice playing drums and was taught by a famous artisan of the village, Mr. Tu Nhan. At that time, the Nghi An village octet band was quite famous. Artists such as Tu Nhan, Tu Nhien, Tam Hung... were once invited to perform in concert to welcome King Khai Dinh when he visited Hai Van Quan, and were highly praised by the king.
Mastering traditional musical instruments at an early age, Tu Chau's reputation gradually spread beyond Nghi An village, becoming the next master of the craft after a generation of experienced artisans. He was in charge of the orchestra of the famous Hoa Phat Opera House at that time.
After 1975, Tu Chau’s family was the “furnace” for training musicians in the whole of Quang Nam - Da Nang. At the Quang Nam - Da Nang Mass Arts Festival held in 1992, his family’s orchestra won a silver medal for its ensemble performance. His son, musician Nguyen Ninh, won a gold medal for his solo performance on the erhu at the “National Competition for Talents in Performing Traditional Stage Instruments” held in Da Nang.
With his contributions to the field of stage musical instruments and to the mass arts movement, in 2010, at the same time as the famous folk artist Ha Thi Cau, Mr. Nguyen Chau was honored to be awarded the title of Folk Artist and the Commemorative Medal for the cause of Vietnamese folk arts.
He is also the artist who lived to be over 100 years old to hold these records in his hands. Leaving behind much regret and nostalgia for his family and generations of artists and students, artist Tu Chau breathed his last to go to the white clouds on June 19, 2011.
Passed down through the generations
Perhaps the late folk artist Nguyen Chau was a happy man because after his death, his descendants continued to preserve, promote and spread the precious guqin values that he left behind. His son, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Ninh, who works at the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater, is a skilled erhu player.
People's Artist Tran Dinh Sanh - former Director of Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater, once affirmed: "We highly appreciate the contribution of Mr. Tu Chau's family to the troupe. His son Nguyen Ninh and daughter-in-law - Meritorious Artist Le Phuong Lan have continued the passion of the profession that he passed on, contributing to the troupe's plays charming ancient melodies."
Indeed, not only Nguyen Ninh and his wife, but also the sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, etc. of artisan Nguyen Chau such as Nguyen Thi Hong Hiep, Doan Ngoc Tam (Ms. Hiep’s husband), Nguyen Loc, Nguyen Sau, Nguyen Hoa, Nguyen Thi Loi, etc. are all proficient in playing traditional musical instruments. More preciously, this tradition has also been passed down by his children to the next generation in the family.
The preservation of that traditional beauty can be mentioned in the family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Hiep and Mr. Doan Ngoc Tam. Both of them were actors of the Quang Nam - Da Nang Opera Troupe.
Ms. Hiep is a zither player, the craft that artisan Nguyen Chau passed down to his daughter is always preserved and promoted. Mr. Doan Ngoc Tam was originally a pure actor, but when he became the son-in-law of Mr. Tu Chau's family, he fell in love with the drums and guitar of his father.
Mr. Tam said: “I am the son-in-law, but I am often near him. Back then, his guitar and trumpet sounds always fascinated me. At first, I only knew how to listen to the beauty and the vibrato coming from his talented hands. But then I couldn’t help myself, I decided to ask his permission to learn the profession…”.
When the province was re-established, Mr. Doan Ngoc Tam followed the opera troupe to Quang Nam to continue working, Ms. Hiep temporarily quit her job and stayed home. What is special is that, continuing the family tradition, their children such as Doan Ngoc Vu - monochord player and his wife, folk artist Do Trinh, and their young son have formed a new generation of artists in the extended family, achieving many successes in non-professional art activities in Da Nang City. Mr. Tam and Ms. Hiep's daughter, Doan Thi Hong Trang, is currently a talented young actress of the Quang Nam Opera Troupe.
“I am very happy and proud to be born into a family with a tradition of folk music. My grandfather, uncles, aunts, father, mother, and siblings are all the warm flames of passion for folk music. That has been and is like a shimmering thread, weaving into my soul endless attachments to the sounds of the ancient zither…” - Ms. Trang shared.
Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/van-vuong-am-dieu-co-cam-3152209.html
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