Preservation of Hue Singing in the face of challenges

Hue Singing auditorium. Photo by Dang Tuyen

Activities to preserve the value of Hue Singing

The project “Protecting and promoting the value of Hue Singing artistic heritage in the period 2017-2022” after 5 years implementing has helped collect and restore many endangered ancient songs of Hue Singing. Ten typical Hue tunes, and more than 15 Hue folk songs have been recorded and systematized into musical notation for archive.

In addition, there are many certified training courses of Hue Singing for more than 110 music teachers from 100 lower secondary schools in the province. These teachers then integrated Hue Singing into their music courses. 

According to Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, the integration of Hue Singing into school courses not only helps teach the students to sing, but also helps them realize the humanistic values in the contents, and help them learn to appreciate and love Hue heritage and raise their awareness of and responsibility in protecting and promoting the value of Hue heritage, accordingly.

Regarding the promotion and preservation of the songs of Hue Singing, according to Mr. Hai, it is important to maintain the free service of the Hue Singing Club, which was founded by poet Vo Que, and which has been in operation at the Center for Culture and Information and City Sports so far.

In terms of Hue Singing auditorium, there are emerging lyricists who made the content of the songs of Hue Singing enriched and vividly reflective of the contemporary homeland life.

The Department of Culture and Sports is currently conducting inventory, collecting and identifying the value of Hue Singing artistic heritage in preparation for a scientific dossier of “The Art of Hue Singing” to submit to UNESCO for inclusion in the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity upon the approval of the Prime Minister. In the meantime, the Department of Culture and Sports submit to the Provincial People’s Committee the proposal to establish Hue Singing auditoriums at Ung Binh relic (Chau Huong Vien) and at 148 Bui Thi Xuan Street (Hue City).

Facing challenges

Although there are many positive signs, Mr. Phan Thanh Hai said that traditional art forms are facing the risk of extinction as fewer and fewer people choose traditional art to study and start a business. Education and aesthetic orientation for the public, especially for young people, are facing many difficulties. It is not easy to build a high-quality team of artists and performers of Hue Singing.

It is noticeable that some of the songs of Hue Singing are notated with traditional methods, requiring high skills. This is almost impossible for young artists to accomplish.

Regarding Hue Singing activities on the Huong River, Mr. Hai said that the river is one of the ideal spaces suitable for this art form. However, most boat owners are not fully provided with knowledge about tourism and the art of Hue Singing.