Innovation in folk music: Reviving Vietnam’s traditional sounds

The Hanoi Times — Every weekend, the stage on the third floor of the Old Quarter Center for Cultural Exchange at No. 50 Dao Duy Tu Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, comes alive.

The Dong Kinh Co Nhac (Ancient Music Group of Tonkin) is ready for regular and free-of-charge traditional music performances as sedge mats are quickly spread out on the wooden floor while traditional instruments - drums, dan day (two-stringed fiddle), dan bau (monochord), and flute - are carefully arranged.

Pure Vietnamese music’s essence

A little further away is the audience area, which is not separate from the performers. "This arrangement allows the audience to be close to the stage for a charming and intimate experience," explained Vu Nhat Tan, the ensemble leader.

For one hour, the performers and the audience are fully immersed in the ancient Dao Lieu poems, the melodies of communal house singing, and classic excerpts from the cheo and tuong (operetta) performances.

In this moment, the pure, ancient music of the legendary troupes of the ancient Thang Long Citadel is brought to life. "Our only wish is to bring authentic traditional Vietnamese music to the public, especially the international audience," said artist Vu Nhat Tan.

The Ancient Music Group of Tonkin was founded in 2014 by Vu Nhat Tan and Dam Quang Minh to revive Vietnam's traditional music, which is in danger of withering away in the modern, pop-driven era.

In recent decades, pop music and karaoke have dominated Vietnam's music scene, leaving little room for traditional genres. This prompted the artists to form the ensemble, which offers a series of monthly performances in Hanoi showcasing five different genres of Vietnamese traditional music: ca tru, hat van, cheo, tuong, and hat xam (Vietnamese operetta). These forms span a wide range of musical traditions, from royal court music to street performances by blind singers.

The ensemble's performances are characterized by their authenticity. They make concerted efforts to preserve the traditional form of the music, avoiding modern additions such as microphones, which the founders believe distort the essence of the music.

For example, they use original instruments such as dan day (three-stringed lute) and dan nguyet (two-stringed lute), which have been carefully restored by folk artist Nguyen Xuan Hoach.

Each performance is meant to be an immersive, intimate experience, with the audience encouraged to express their appreciation in traditional ways, such as by tossing a bamboo stick into a metal bowl.

"Our team of 20 artists in the Ancient Music Ensemble has worked so hard for years to bring the music back to its original form as much as possible," said Tan.

Dressing Vietnamese heritage in new clothes

Similar efforts to preserve and promote traditional Vietnamese music can be seen in other groups and initiatives.

The live music show Ve Kinh Bac (Visit Vietnam's Northern Area), a contemporary folk music night recently performed by the Thien Thanh Band at the Hong Ha Theater in Hanoi, is a vibrant celebration of traditional sounds meeting modern creativity.

According to the band leader and artist Ngo Hong Quang, traditional Vietnamese folk music genres such as tuong, cheo, and ca tru were skillfully reimagined throughout the performance. The innovative combination of arrangement and rhythmic structure in these ancient melodies created a fresh, youthful, and dynamic musical landscape that resonates with contemporary aesthetics, making it more accessible to younger audiences.

Besides the nine core band members, the program also featured two special guest artists: beatboxer and experimental vocal artist Trung Bao and American cellist Bryan Charles Wilson. Their performances added a unique layer, bridging musical cultures and bringing an exciting fusion to the stage. The combination of these diverse instruments and interactions created an amazing musical experience.

Ve Kinh Bac helps bring the audience closer to the rich cultural heritage of northern Vietnam and captivate international listeners to the unique, indigenous traditions of the Kinh Bac (Northern Vietnamese) people," Quang said.

Other shows have also conveyed the same messages. Held in the inviting atmosphere of the Sol 8 Live Stage in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi in late 2024, the folk art program "Viet Soul" featured a variety of unique traditional performances, including the traditional music ensemble "A Circle of Vietnam", a monochord solo of "Hotel California" by People's Artist Hoang Anh Tu, cheo singing "Dao Lieu" by People's Artist Minh Phuong, a ca tru performance of "Tay Ho" by Meritorious Artist Thuy Hoa, and xam singing "Muc Ha Vo Nhan" by Artists Hoang Anh Tu and Xuan Ton, among others, all of which left a lasting impression on the audience.

Nguyen Trung Hoang Nam, production director of the performance, told The Hanoi Times that promoting Vietnamese culture is a shared responsibility among all organizations and individuals. "Through the art performance, we aim to share the love of Vietnam's unique folk music with both local residents and international tourists while enriching Hanoi's tourism offerings," he said.

However, Nam noted that creating a cultural performance that truly "touches the hearts of the audience" is challenging. Therefore, organizers need to consult many experts in the field of stage performance.

"We focus on using folk music elements and creating performances that all audiences can 'absorb', including foreign tourists who may not understand Vietnamese," he said.

The organizers aim to bring Vietnamese folk music closer to audiences by performing internationally renowned pieces of music using unique traditional instruments such as the dan bau, dan nhi, and flute, among others.

At a time when folk music often gets overshadowed by the dominance of electronic beats and large-scale international performances, these groups and artists deserve special recognition.

Through dedicated performance spaces, educational initiatives, and collaborations with international musicians, they are preserving the cultural richness of Vietnam's musical traditions while ensuring their relevance in a rapidly evolving world.