The memorial site for poet and musician Nguyen Trong Tao was inaugurated in his hometown of Nghe An.

Attending the program were: Comrade Le Doan Hop - former Member of the Central Committee of the Party, former Minister of Information and Communications, Chairman of the Nghe An Hometown Association in Hanoi; Nguyen The Ky - former Member of the Central Committee of the Party, former Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, former Director General of the Voice of Vietnam Radio, Chairman of the Central Council for Literary and Artistic Theory and Criticism; Hoang Nghia Hieu - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; leaders of departments and agencies; a large number of relatives, friends, artists from near and far, and local people.

In a moving atmosphere commemorating the talented poet and musician, delegates, relatives, friends, and admiring members of the public listened together to his famous compositions, such as:Rowing on the Bung River; Homeland Song; My Quan Ho Village; The Eyes of the Ferryman; One Foolishness, One Me…through the voices of famous artists: Anh Thơ, Trọng Tấn, Hà Quỳnh Như…

Many friends also shared memorable memories of Nguyen Trong Tao - a multi-talented man with a deep love for his homeland and who dedicated his entire life to art.

As part of the program, delegates visited the memorial site of poet and musician Nguyen Trong Tao. Construction of the memorial site began in July 2022 at his birthplace, designed by his son, architect and doctor Nguyen Vu Trong Thi, drawing inspiration from his works and the characteristics of the three regions where he lived: Hue, Nghe An, and Hanoi.

Familiar images in Nguyen Trong Tao's poetry, such as rivers, boats, eyes, the moon, and musical notes, are stylized; they embody a deep affection for his homeland and country, as well as a modern, integrated approach in the artistic style of this talented poet and musician.

Poet and musician Nguyen Trong Tao was born on August 25, 1947, into a scholarly family in Truong Khe village (now Dien Hoa), Dien Chau district, Nghe An province. He was a multi-talented individual, early demonstrating his innate talent in various artistic fields: he wrote his first poem at age 14, his first song at age 20, and published his first poetry collection at age 27.

Nguyen Trong Tao was also a soldier, enlisting in 1969. After serving in the army, he studied at the Nguyen Du School of Creative Writing and held various positions at the Military Region 4 Cultural Center, the Thua Thien Hue Association of Literature and Arts, and the Vietnam Musicians Association. Throughout his career, the poet and musician Nguyen Trong Tao published more than 20 books including poetry, prose, music, and literary criticism, and won many prestigious awards, including the State Prize for Literature and Arts.

When mentioning Nguyen Trong Tao, the public will always remember his collections of poems and epics written with a masterful style such as:Nursery Rhymes for Adults, Refuge, A World Without a Moon, The Path of the Stars...In terms of music, Nguyen Trong Tao also has many songs that have touched the hearts of listeners for generations, such as:My Quan Ho Village, The Song of the Homeland River, The Eyes of the Ferryman...In terms of painting, Nguyen Trong Tao is the author of hundreds of book covers and illustrations.

Nguyen Trong Tao lived a life fully dedicated to art. At the end of 2017, he suffered a stroke. After recovering from his serious illness, Nguyen Trong Tao seemed to have even more creative inspiration. In August 2018, he organized the poetry and music night "Song of the Homeland River" in Vinh City, Nghe An province – his first and only live show in his hometown.

At the event, he confided to a large audience in his hometown, essentially saying that he thought he was going to die, but then, miraculously, he felt life awaken within him. Perhaps that was the greatest stroke of luck in his life, and he believed that this good fortune was partly thanks to his "motherland," Nghe An. Bringing the concert to Vinh also deeply reflected his gratitude to his homeland.

On January 7, 2019, he passed away from a terminal illness at the age of 72. "The man who emerged from folk songs," "the musician of the Vietnamese countryside," is no more, but the artistic legacy he left behind will forever remain in the hearts of generations of the public. Therefore, the Memorial Area for Poet and Musician Nguyen Trong Tao is a meaningful project, not only fulfilling his and his family's wishes but also meeting the aspirations of numerous fellow artists, writers, and fans.