03:08, 26/08/2020

Remixing Vietnamese traditional music

Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe lately held rehearsal performances of traditional musical instruments. This time, the troupe introduced instrumental solos and ensembles of Vietnamese traditional music which were remixed.
 

Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe lately held rehearsal performances of traditional musical instruments. This time, the troupe introduced instrumental solos and ensembles of Vietnamese traditional music which were remixed.
 
Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe prepares these performances for the 2020 national contest on traditional musical instrument solo and ensemble, which is scheduled for the end of September in Buon Ma Thuot City (Dak Lak Province). After nearly 2 months, the troupe’s musicians and dancers completed producing five performances of good artistic quality. Each performance portrays a cultural feature, but all performances are skillfully connected through a general artistic idea. 
 
The organization committee of the 2020 national contest on traditional musical instrument solo and ensemble required each participating unit to prepare a music item about the countries in Southeast Asia. Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe chose “Morning Happiness” which used to be successfully performed by Indonesian artists. As for solo performances, young musician Pham Van Tan performed his new composition about Hue City and another solo of monochord about Vietnam’s southern region.
 
 
Instrumental ensemble of Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe
Instrumental ensemble of Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe
 
Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe invited Meritorious Artist Huynh Tu, who used to work at Thang Long Theater, to direct and arrange the performances. Thanks to the hard work and practice of Huynh Tu and the artists of Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe, five music items with smooth and delicate combinations between traditional musical instruments (monochord, 16-chord zither, bamboo flute, Vietnamese two-chord fiddle, lithophone, T’rung) and modern musical instruments (drum, organ, guitar, etc.) and between music and dance were produced. 
 
Reportedly, Meritorious Artist Huynh Tu was impressed by the music performance skills of the artists of Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe, which encouraged him to use new musical thoughts and apply the contemporary trend in traditional music to the performances. These music items of Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe partly reflect Cham culture, Hue City’s culture, and the cultural features of the southern and southern central regions. However, these performances need to be adjusted in some parts before Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe takes part in the 2020 national contest on traditional musical instrument solo and ensemble, according to song writer Hinh Phuoc Lien. 
 
Giang Đinh
Translated by H.N