(VOVworld) –Major General An Thuyen was a renowned musician, who had a great love for his home province of Nghe An. He helped to train many influential musicians and artists in Vietnam.

Thuyen’s childhood was linked with the folk songs and chants of his home province. He could play many kinds of traditional Vietnamese instruments when he was 11. In his 20s Thuyen wrote two of his favorite songs, which made a name for him: “I choose this way” and “Remembering Uncle Ho while listening to chants on the boat at night”. Musician Do Hong Quan, President of the Vietnam Musicians’ Association, said: “Musician An Thuyen had a great passion for Vietnam’s folk music, the music of Nghe Tinh, and the music of Vietnam’s northern mountain provinces. His compositions are a mixture of these kinds of music and I think this is an outstanding innovation.”

Many of his songs are popular across generations, like “Beloved Hue”, “Folk song, You and Me”, “Heroic Vietnamese Mothers”, and “Marching to the Northeast”. Thuyen also wrote a number of famous operas such as Kim Chi, A pair of chopsticks made of Kim giao wood, Sea of bitter love, and The rise of the nation. He said "I grew up in the flow of folk music and I extract its quintessence to make my works modern, but full of folk rhythm." That explains why his works often depict Vietnam’s peaceful countryside with images of the river, the wharf, and the boat. Musician Duc Trinh, Dean of the Military University of Culture and Arts, has been Thuyen’s colleague for years. He said: “Thuyen’s songs are easy to remember because their lyrics and melodies are blended with traditional folk songs. His works are both academic and emotional.”

In his career Thuyen won a number of prizes from the Viet Nam Musicians’ Association. Other famous works of his include “Nine Steps of Love”, “Searching for the Shadow of the Mountain”, and “Hello Viet Nam in Spring”. He also composed music for movies, plays, traditional opera, and reformed theatre. Thuyen contributed significantly to the development of the Military University of Culture and Arts. He taught many well-known Vietnamese singers like Thanh Thuy, Ho Quynh Huong, Luu Huong Giang, Thai Thuy Linh, Ngoc Khue, and Kasim Hoang Vu. He was the university’s first principal to allow a number of prominent contestants from singing contests to study at his school without having to pass an entrance exam. He also trained many talented ethnic singers. Musician Duc Trinh said: “Musician An Thuyen helped to make a name for our school in society and the army. He was dedicated to training young singers and helping them develop their careers and contribute to society. That’s what we should learn from him”.

Thuyen was given the State Award for Literature and Art in 2007. He died at the age of 65 but he will always be remembered as a talented musician and general of the Vietnam People’s Army.