Dai Thanh farmers renew cheo to attract audiences by establishing a cheo fan club. Photo: hanoionline.vn

At weekends, members of the Tinh Lam Cheo Club gather at the communal house to practice. The senior members teach the junior members how to sing and perform cheo gestures to convey their feelings.

The Tinh Lam Cheo Club has 50 members, including Nguyen Thi Tinh. “I have been with the Club for 30 years. When I was little, I often attended cheo singing sessions and it has become part of my life. I practiced singing cheo by myself, even when I was cooking and washing dishes. We sing the old form of cheo which has been handed down by our ancestors,” she said. 

Here's 77-year-old Nguyen Phuc Hau, the head of the club, singing a piece of cheo. Nguyen Thi Quyen, a young member of the club, said: “When I was little, I often watched my mother singing cheo and I loved it. Now I attend a two-hour class in the evening taught by Mr. Nguyen Phuc Hau, the head of the club. He writes the lyrics, teaches us every verse, and corrects our mistakes. We are trying to preserve the traditional cheo melodies.”

In 2009, Dai Thanh commune set up a Cultural and Sports club, focusing on cheo singing. In 2012, the UNESCO Association of Hanoi opened a cheo club in Quoc Oai district, which mainly operates in Dai Thanh commune. The Dai Thanh Cheo Club has won many prizes, including at the Hanoi Open Amateur Cheo Stage Festival in 2010 and 2011, and Quoc Oai district’s cheo singing competition.

In 2015, three members were recognized as Emeritus Artists by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. Mr. Nguyen Phuc Hau, Chairman of the Club, said: "Cheo started to develop here in 1953. I joined a cheo art troupe when I was 12, and now I’m 77. People in Dai Thanh commune learn by heart every cheo verse. They sing cheo anytime, anywhere ,when they’re working or when they’re cooking. We have maintained the art for four generations."

Over the years, cheo training sessions have become an indispensable part of Dai Thanh residents. Photo: hanoionline.vn

Cheo has been developed and promoted by generations in Dai Thanh commune. The villagers have become more skilled in singing, playing musical instruments, and performing. Ms. Tran Thi Sang, a member of the Tinh Lam Cheo Club, said: "It’s essential to understand the lyrics of a cheo song to be able to perform it well. We’re proud that our club still attracts many older villagers, which is encouraging to us."

According to Nguyen Duy Pham, a cheo performer in Dai Thanh commune, "We were born in the cradle of cheo and grew up with cheo melodies. The seniors have taught cheo to the juniors for generations. We invite cheo artists to teach the younger generations to sing cheo, and preserve and develop cheo singing. The most important thing is to sing and play the music with all your heart, and to practice regularly."

For the past 70 years, the cheo art form has been an integral part of the cultural and spiritual life of the people in Dai Thanh commune. Everyone, young and old,  can sing traditional cheo melodies. Through their effort, cheo has been preserved and developed, enriching Vietnamese culture.