“Keeping the flame” of Hue Singing alive

Trainees participating in a training course on Hue Singing

Passing on Hue Singing to music teachers

On weekends, dozens of music teachers from various secondary schools in Hue City gather at Hue Intermediate School of Culture and Arts to immerse themselves in the melodies of Hue Singing. Through seasoned artisans and lecturers, the teachers participating in the training course are inspired by this art form, which has been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage. The training course begins with a theoretical session led by Mr. Vo Que, a poet, Chairman of Hue Singing Club, where participants receive a systematic and comprehensive overview of Hue Singing.

The most anticipated part is likely the practical session, where they get to perform Hue Singing pieces and melodies. Guided by experienced artisans, the trainees practice various Hue folk melodies, including “Ly Tinh tang”, “Hoai nam”, “Ngua o”, “Doan xuan”, and “Tieu khuc”, or the chanting of “Ho Mai xap”, “Gia gao”, and “Ho khoan”; along with Hue Singing pieces such as “Luu thuy”, “Long diep”, “Lien hoan”, “Ho quang”, and “Xuan phong”, etc. During each lesson, every melody and piece is written clearly on the board, and the trainees are guided by artisans to sing along the tunes played from the audio set. Each segment, combined with rhythmic tapping, makes up an interesting and enjoyable lesson.

Mr. Hoang Van Duy (from Vinh Thanh Secondary School) - a teacher with many years of experience in teaching music - still felt unaccustomed to Hue Singing when joining the training course for the first time. Although he had heard a lot about Hue Singing, he hesitated when directly engaging and receiving singing instructions. However, thanks to his professional background and the dedicated guidance, Mr. Duy quickly grasped the basic skills of Hue Singing.

“For me, the hardest parts were vocal articulation and breath control. After a few weeks of practice, I have become more fluent,” shared Mr. Duy. He added that after a period of practice, he is able to perform many pieces and most satisfied with two pieces, which are “Luu Thuy”, and “Ly Doan xuan”.

Contributing to spreading the quintessence

Like Mr. Duy, many other teachers in the training course also had opportunities for individual and group practice. They also interacted with artisans and artists from Hue Singing Club at the cultural space at 23 - 25 Le Loi Street (Thuan Hoa Ward) as an experience, gaining practical skills in their journey of spreading Hue Singing.

“After completing the training course, I hope to establish a Hue Singing club at my school to pass on what I have learned to my students. Additionally, through lessons related to the local education curriculum, I hope to introduce Hue Singing melodies and pieces to them, igniting their passion and love for the traditional art of our homeland,” said Mr. Duy.

According to Hue City Department of Culture and Sports, after Hue Singing was added to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the City developed and issued a project to protect and promote the value of Hue Singing art heritage. The highlight of this project is the program to bring Hue Singing heritage into schools, which has been implemented for several years.

To date, over 110 music teachers from secondary schools across the City have participated and received certificates. These teachers have since incorporated Hue Singing into their music curriculum to introduce to and teach their students.

Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of Hue City Department of Culture and Sports, stated that Hue, which was once the nation's capital for centuries, is a land of poetry, singing, music, and painting, a place where the quintessence of national culture converges and spreads. The traditional art forms here have been enriched and created a unique identity, with Hue Singing being a shining gem, a fusion of royal and folk art forms.

According to Mr. Hai, to continue protecting and developing the heritage, the Department has built a program to bring Hue Singing heritage into schools, by training Hue Singing for secondary school music teachers, and teaching Hue Singing to students in Hue Singing clubs in some secondary schools. “The program is not just about teaching singing skills, but also about helping students develop an appreciation, so they can recognize the humanistic depth in each piece, and learn to cherish and love the heritage of their ancestors. This will nurture their passion for traditional music, encourage them to perform confidently, and instill a sense of responsibility for protecting and promoting the value of Hue Singing,” shared Mr. Hai.