Bac Ninh’s club incubates young Quan Ho talents
(VOVWORLD) - The “Quan Ho bamboo shoot club” has spread the passion for Quan Ho folk singing among the community for ten years, contributing to the preservation of this Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
 The Quan Ho bamboo shoot club in Hoan Son commune, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province, was established in 2015 by Nguyen Thi Nguyen, together with other artists.
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 At an early age, Nguyen fell in love with Quan Ho folk songs by listening to her grandmother’s singing, which inspired her to join the Quan Ho troupe in her hamlet when she grew up. Through the course of activities, Nguyen realized there were many local children passionate about this traditional art, but they lacked conditions to practice. This encouraged her to boldly create the “Quan ho bamboo shoot” club, where free Quan Ho teaching would be provided to young people. After 10 years running, the club attracted over 30 members, whose ages vary from 4 to 17.
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 The club faced many challenges in the beginning due to the lack of finance to maintain, and the appropriate teaching methods for students in the early ages. Nonetheless, with her indestructible passion for Quan Ho folk art, Nguyen stayed considerate, and combined traditional singing lessons with contemporary games to engage students. Nguyen also invited skillful artists to her class. Apart from learning to sing, students were also taught about the meaning of folk poetry to understand the value of Quan Ho singing, Nguyen said.
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 Children of the “Quan Ho bamboo shoot” club in Hoan Son commune, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province in an activity.
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 Nguyen adjusts the costume for her “bamboo shoot” students before the performance. |
 Inviting betel nut is an indispensable activity in Quan Ho folk singing’s culture.
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 The club operates 2 sessions per week, scheduled either on Wednesday and Sunday afternoon or on Saturday and Sunday. At the session, the sister wore the four-panel traditional dress (ao tu than), and the brother wore a long dress and turban, attentively listening to the teacher’s guidance.
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 Nguyen Bich Ngoc, a member of the Quan Ho bamboo shoot club in Hoan Son commune, said that she has mastered dozens of Quan Ho melodies after being taught at this club. Participating in the club not only helped her gain more useful knowledge about Vietnamese culture, and performing arts, but also allowed her to communicate more confidently, make friends, honing her life skills, and relieves her stress, she said.
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 Nguyen Hien Hoa, a student in Dai Son village, said she is being trained carefully by her teacher, Ms. Nguyen, and other talented artists in Bac Ninh province at the club. Hoa practiced Quan Ho folk singing even when she was at home, by watching Quan Ho teaching programmes on TV. |
 At the annual Lim festival, the Quan Ho bamboo shoot club received huge applause from visitors for their beautiful melodies.
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 With the development of society and emergence of various music genres, the young generation has lost their interest in folk melodies. The development of the Quan Ho bamboo shoot club proved a right direction in preserving and promoting traditional singing in the community, contributing towards the process of nurturing young people’s passion for Quan Ho folk art.
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