Bring your wallet and travel back to the warm sunshine.

(Baonghean.vn)ButThrough the connection of former students of Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School, people from Nghe An and those with a deep love for the unique folk music genre of Nghe Tinh, namely "vi" and "giam," have come together in musical spaces to honor and immerse themselves in the folk melodies of the land of "Lao winds and white sands."

A heartwarming evening of cultural exchange titled "Returning to the Land of Folk Songs and Melodies" was held on December 20, 2014, right on the grounds of Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School in Vinh City, Nghe An province - the birthplace of these sweet, profound, meaningful, and heartfelt folk songs.

Music exchange night "Returning to the land of folk songs and melodies" at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted. Photo: Thanh Chung

A musical evening titled "Love and Affection in Folk Songs and Melodies" on March 7, 2015, was a harmonious blend of colors and emotional nuances, encompassing the love and resentment expressed through folk songs and melodies, set in Hanoi – the beloved heart of Vietnam, the melting pot of Vietnamese culture.

The "Love and Affection of Ví and Giặm Folk Songs" music night in Hanoi. Photo: Cao Tuan

And on April 10th, 2015, at the Ben Thanh Theater - No. 6 Mac Dinh Chi Street, Ho Chi Minh City, the place where Uncle Ho - the outstanding son of the Vietnamese nation - departed from Nha Rong Port to seek a path to national salvation, leading the Vietnamese people from misery and slavery to liberate themselves and become masters of an independent nation, a musical performance entitled "The Affectionate Folk Songs of Vi and Giam" will be presented.

This is one of a series of meaningful activities aimed at honoring and spreading the art of Ví and Giặm folk singing after this special form of folk music was officially recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity on November 27, 2014, in Paris (France). More importantly, it commemorates the 40th anniversary of the complete liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country.

The program is directed by People's Artist Hong Luu, with the participation of artists from the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage, and folk song artisans from folk song clubs in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces.

Audiences in Ho Chi Minh City will have the opportunity to enjoy and better understand the ancient folk songs of Nghe Tinh through the voice of People's Artist Hong Luu with "Deep Father-Son Love," performances of "The Rice Planting Village's Charm," "Returning to the Folk Song Region," "Moonlit Night in the Cloth Weaving Village," "Homeland Love with Conical Hats," and comedic skits typical of Nghe An province such as "The Poor Man's Teasing Song"... performed by artists from the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage...

Artist Tran Khanh Cam - a singer of Nghe Tinh folk songs for over 60 years. Photo: Cao Tuan

The performance will feature the promising young artist Thanh Xuan from the Ngoc Son Folk Song Club (Thanh Chuong - Nghe An) with the song "The Gratitude to Parents and Teachers," and 9-year-old child singer Binh Duong from Yen Thanh (Nghe An).

The evening also featured contemporary folk-inspired songs such as "Ai vô xứ Nghệ" (Who Goes to Nghe An) and "Neo đậu bến quê" (Anchored at the Homeland's Harbor), performed by renowned artists. Particularly noteworthy was the song "Quê hương là núi Hồng, sông Lam" (Homeland is Hong Mountain, Lam River) – a composition by a former student of Phan High School, praising the beauty of the homeland and romantic love, imbued with the essence of Nghe Tinh folk music.

The program will captivate audiences with its blend of traditional folk melodies and contemporary songs with folk influences. Bringing folk songs and melodies from the villages, fields, and village squares to urban stages, so that more people can understand and appreciate them, is the wish of former students of Phan High School.

And most importantly, during these historic days of April, the return of the folk songs and melodies to the warm sunshine of the South, the land always in the heart of President Ho Chi Minh - the Father of the Nation, will be an opportunity for the hearts of folk song and melodies lovers in Ho Chi Minh City and all regions to immerse themselves in "a night of remembering President Ho Chi Minh," to wholeheartedly express their feelings of anger and love through these songs.

Ha Chi