3 Nghe An artists honored as People's Artists

(Baonghean) - In the first days of the new year 2016, the artists of Nghe An and the people of Nghe An welcomed a very important event: In the ceremony to honor People's Artists and Meritorious Artists in Hanoi, our Nghe An had 3 artists who were awarded the title of People's Artist. They are People's Artist Tien Dung, People's Artist An Phuc and People's Artist Hoang Thanh. The special thing is that their successes all originated from folk songs, Vi and Giam.

People's Artist Pham Tien Dung "Folk songs inspire"

Meeting People's Artist Tien Dung exactly 5 days after he was honored as People's Artist, in his office at the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism filled with flowers, our conversation was occasionally interrupted by the ringing of the phone: it was friends from afar or colleagues, the public who loved his songs calling to congratulate him. Also because of this occasion, his younger brother, artist Canh Tinh (school of the Armored Art Troupe), was also awarded the title of Meritorious Artist.

People's Artist Tien Dung.

Born and raised in a "beautiful" countryside where the Lam River meanders through. Since childhood, folk songs have permeated his soul because his parents were very good folk singers. And like fate: from the time he was still in school in that peaceful, poetic village, he was famous throughout the region for his gifted singing voice. The turning point for him to decide to follow the path of art was in 1979 when he was working in the geology industry and was selected to join the Nghe Tinh Folk Song Group.

He said that: the Nghe Tinh Folk Song Troupe was the cradle for him to develop his career later. Because after joining the Troupe, realizing that he not only had a passion for Vi and Giam folk songs but also had the ability to compose songs and stage programs, he was sent to study the Intermediate Vocal Music program (1982) and Bachelor of Culture (1995). He participated in performing, teaching and arts management activities in his home province: an actor of the Nghe An Folk Song Troupe (since 1979), a vocal teacher at the Nghe Tinh Culture and Arts High School, a singer of the Nghe Tinh Music and Dance Troupe (since 1989), Deputy Troupe Leader (since 1993) and then Head of the Troupe (since 1997) of the Nghe An Drama and Dance Troupe and is currently the Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nghe An province. During his performing career, he won many awards, including 4 Gold Medals at the National Professional Music and Dance Festival, 1 A Prize (1982) at the National Professional Stage Singing Competition in Quy Nhon and was awarded the title of Meritorious Artist in 1997.

After nearly 20 years of dedication to the profession, having experienced many different jobs, but the People's Artist Tien Dung is fortunate that no matter what role he is in, he is always associated with art and folk songs. Up to now, he has composed hundreds of works and songs about ca vi, giam, or folk songs. Many of People's Artist Pham Tien Dung's compositions have been used in music and dance programs of art troupes and are award-winning performances in professional music and dance festivals, such as: "Ep duyen", "Non nuoc huu tinh", "Huong sac song Lam", "Ban di hat gheo", "Mot long doi ban"... these are also the compositions that leave the most impression on us. Currently, folk song clubs in the province all put these compositions into practice, or choose them to participate in the annual Nghe Vi and Giam folk song festivals and performances.

To contribute to spreading folk songs more and more, he was the first person to initiate and directly teach folk songs on Nghe An television, and to bring folk songs into teaching in schools... For him, those sweet, warm, and profound Vi and Giam folk songs nourished his soul, brought him to the path of art and gave wings to his songs... so that he could have the success he has today.

The most worrying thing for the People's Artist at present is how to make Vi and Giam folk songs spread more and more, and take root more deeply in the lives of the people of Nghe An. In his role as Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, he is currently working with the industry to advise the province to complete the project to preserve and promote the heritage of Vi and Giam folk songs of Nghe An until 2020. Continue to bring folk songs to schools, teach folk songs on television, gradually support folk song clubs in the province... And will create folk songs...

People's Artist Hoang Thanh "Dedicating himself to art"

I met him in the living room of his private house on Tran Quang Dieu Street (Vinh City) - a rather busy street. The People's Artist certificate was solemnly hung in the living room. This was not the first time I met him. The previous times, he invited me because the 4th Military Region Art Troupe (when he was the troupe's leader) was about to launch a new performance, or the troupe had just participated in the All-Army Performance Festival and won a high prize.... But every time, with a rough, ascetic, thoughtful appearance, he convinced the person opposite with his passion for life, his concern for the profession, for the young generation... And today, I met him because he had just been awarded the title of People's Artist when he had been retired for 4 years.

People's Artist Hoang Thanh.

He said: he was luckier than many people because during the 43 years of his association with art, he only stayed in one place: the Art Troupe of Military Region 4. And it was that soldier quality that was the catalyst, the inspiration for him to create songs that "go with the years" such as "Anh linh tuyen ngu va khuc hat lam toi", "Buong ao em ra", "Tieng flute kite tuoi tho"... smooth, profound - these songs made the name of musician Hoang Thanh.

Being both a musician and the head of an art troupe, having served on the battlefield in the final years of the war against America, he clearly understood the value of the sacrifice, loss, and happiness of soldiers. Therefore, in the troupe's art programs, he always placed the image of the soldier as the red thread running through it, and his songs had to carry the folk music of Nghe An - that was the soul of the troupe, the unique identity of the Art Troupe of Military Region 4, so that every time they participated in the All-Army Festival, the troupe always won the highest awards such as the Gold Medal in 1995, 2005...

He said that after so many years of dedication to the Union and to art, what he is most proud of is that his family is an artist family: his father is artist Hoang Tho, his wife is Meritorious Artist Thu Hang; his two children also follow their parents' profession. So his whole family has been artists and soldiers for three generations. And the good news is that everyone, no matter what position, can promote and contribute to art and live off art. That is something not everyone can do.

After retirement, musician Hoang Thanh was immediately assigned to the role of Vice President of the Nghe An Literature and Arts Association. And a member of the province's professional arts council. He said that he wished the title of People's Artist had come to him sooner, when he was still the head of the art troupe of Military Region 4, he would have certainly contributed more to the troupe in particular and to the art of his home province and the country in general... But that's okay, he does not do art for the title, but his own contributions have brought him to that title. However, in this new role, he continues to contribute to art in many different ways, such as advising on programs of professional art troupes in the province, guiding his two children in their profession, consulting and advising the Literature and Arts Association on new directions to preserve and promote folk songs of Nghe An... contributing to the gradual development of the art of his home province. He will continue to contribute until he can...

People's Artist An Phuc "Life is a series of roles"

Colleagues and the public often call him an artist of the people and the countryside because of his honest and sincere appearance. Moreover, the roles he plays are very close and real, like people are seeing them somewhere.

As the main actor of Nghe An Folk Song Theater (now the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage), People's Artist An Phuc came to the stage as a way to find his way home. Because before that, his uncle: the late Musician An Thuyen - who gave wings to his dream, guided him to follow the path of art, and then his younger sister, Meritorious Artist Huong Giang (Art Troupe of the General Department of Politics) also followed him into the path of art. Later, his two daughters (1 is in the Art Troupe of Military Region 4) and 1 is studying in the 7th year at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music... also from that passion. He said that every time the whole family met, it was like a music festival. Only his wife - a village school teacher - was the audience, sitting and enjoying with a radiant face of happiness.

People's Artist An Phuc.

The public knows People's Artist An Phuc best for his role as Uncle Ho. In addition, he also plays roles such as the King in "Prince Si Than"; "Queen of Persia"; "The Young King's Love Story"; "The Successor of Ly Nhan Tong"... I jokingly said: so you always play the role of kings. He laughed: that's right, on stage you are a majestic, splendid, and powerful king. However, few people know that after the curtain falls, People's Artist An Phuc returns to real life: all the years he has been pursuing his artistic career are the same years he has been living on his own, living in a dormitory, sometimes riding a bicycle, sometimes taking the bus to visit his wife and children in Quynh Luu.

To have the title of People's Artist today, even though he is retired, this is a source of happiness and pride for him. He said that although his artistic path was really hard and difficult, it was a happy ending. Because after the curtain fell, he had a happy family: successful children, he had a hard-working wife who was devoted to her husband, respected his career, appreciated his roles and he was remembered by the audience.

Thanh Thuy