Family theater

(Baonghean) - With passion and respect for the unique values ​​of their homeland's culture, all four members of Mr. Pham Tai Khoan's family have worked hard to create Ca Tru to last forever.

xCa tru flows in the veins

Mr. Pham Tai Kien's family sings for the people in the commune at the beginning of spring. Photo: Mai Giang

Ca Tru was introduced to Dien Chau very early. However, over time, Ca Tru was sometimes forgotten, but with the passion and respect for the unique values ​​of the homeland's culture, all four members of Mr. Pham Tai Khoan's family in hamlet 10, Dien Yen commune have worked hard to create Ca Tru to last forever.

At the age of 10, Mr. Khoan had heard his grandparents and parents sing Ca Tru. He was a good singer and loved singing, so without knowing when, Ca Tru gradually permeated his heart. Somewhere, Ca Tru has faded into the past, but for his family, the lifeblood of this special music genre is always maintained with love and magical passion.

That love was further fueled when he was sent to a 3-month training course for musicians and singers. Mr. Khoan confided: “Ca tru here was founded by the Tran family, headed by Mr. Tran Map - a famous ca tru troupe (a ca tru troupe singing in the royal court). From there, a famous singing family was born, and the king bestowed the title of Marquis. Currently, the Tran family temple still preserves 12 royal decrees conferring the talented ca tru troupes of the family.

Dinh Chay is one of the remaining "witnesses" of the old guild. Many years ago, here resounded the sounds of instruments and singing of actors and actresses on occasions of worshipping gods and saints, promotions, and exchanges between the great guilds of Co Dam (Ha Tinh), Cat Ngan, Ke Gam... At the communal house, there are still 3 words: Chieu ky van (meaning gathering for cultural activities).

Ca tru has been in Pham Tai Khoan’s blood since a very early age, but spreading the love of Ca tru to everyone is not a simple matter. At first, Mr. Khoan encouraged his wife and children in the family first. Over time, everyone became more “infatuated” with Ca tru than he was.

Sitting next to her husband, Mrs. Le Thi Phung - Mr. Khoan's wife enthusiastically continued: "Hearing my 90-year-old great-grandmother sing the song "Hong Hong Tuyet Tuyet" when she joined the Ke Lu opera troupe, I thought it was a lullaby, and immediately fell in love with it. The more I listened, the more I liked it, and the more I fell in love with it. Later, I found out that it was a famous ca tru song. From then on, I also practiced singing it."

Next, the couple encouraged their son and daughter-in-law to join the “family theater troupe”. The image of the husband beating the drum, the wife and daughter-in-law singing, and the son playing the instrument rhythmically became familiar to the people of Dien Yen.

When the whole family was proficient in singing and playing, Mr. Khoan boldly advised the commune's cultural committee to mobilize talented people to establish a Ca Tru club, aiming to restore the traditional art of his hometown.

Mission to spread

Ca Tru is not an easy art to learn or memorize, it requires talent and above all passion. The "passing on of the profession" of Mr. Khoan's family is also full of hardships, there were times when he thought he would have to give up, but the desire to preserve the ancestral profession for future generations helped him and his wife overcome it all.

With their passion and perseverance, they started and established a club with the participation of 4 female singers and 3 male musicians.

Ms. Hanh, a member of the Ca Tru club, shared: “In the past, I didn’t like Ca Tru either, but after Mr. Khoan encouraged me, and Ms. Phung enthusiastically sang and played the clappers, I gradually found Ca Tru interesting. The more I sang and listened to it, the more it seeped into my blood. Now I persuaded my husband to join the club. He really likes it and is often the one who accompanies me to sing.”

At the 2011 National Ca Tru Festival, Mr. Khoan's family performed a singing performance that was highly appreciated by the audience. At this festival, Mr. Pham Tai Ba - their son, a musician, was honored to receive the Young Talent Award, bringing joy to the entire district and the entire province.

Thanks to the passion and efforts of Mr. Khoan's family, Dien Yen commune has now established a Ca Tru club with 8 members aged from 20 to 60, operating regularly and with quality.

Mr. Tran Canh Yen - Head of Dien Chau Ca Tru Club said: "For a family with 2 generations of passionate Ca Tru singers like Mr. Khoan's family is very rare. This Ca Tru family can sing many genres, can perform a whole performance like the Ca Tru troupe of the past."

The Ke Lu Opera has passed into the past, but with the enthusiasm of Mr. Pham Tai Khoan's family, he has contributed to preserving and "reviving" the traditional art of his ancestors.

Mai Giang