Passion for folk songs

(Baonghean) - Ms. Tran Thi Mui (Nghi Hai, Cua Lo) has loved singing since she was a child. Her house is always filled with laughter and singing and has become the meeting place of the Nghi Hai Ward Folk Song Club (Cua Lo Town).

Mrs. Tran Thi Binh (82 years old) in Hai Giang block, Nghi Hai ward said: Mui loved folk songs since she was little. When she was ten years old, she went on the "village stage". In those days, people in the fishing village often boiled and steamed fish, singing while working to have fun and increase labor productivity. Mui also sang along, everyone who heard praised Mui for her soulful voice...

Artisan Tran Thi Mui (3rd from left)

Ms. Mui's father is a good singer and musician, he has a very deep knowledge of Nghe An folk songs. When she was 10 years old, her father taught her many folk songs and he was the first teacher who passed on the warmth of Nghe An folk songs to her. Sometimes he taught her to sing while fishing along the Lam River, sometimes at home, then he taught her folk songs, listened to the songs of the uncles and brothers pulling nets to catch shrimp and fish in the river,... those things are deeply ingrained in her soul, becoming childhood memories that she still remembers forever. And it is also those things that created her passion for singing, especially Vi Dam folk songs.

While still a student at school, she became an artist, participating in all the school's art movements and winning many high prizes, especially singing folk songs of Nghe An. In 1974, at the age of 18, Mui joined the army, the unit recruited her into the art team of Regiment I - Nghe An Provincial Military Command. Here, she actively participated in the cultural and artistic movements of the regiment, constantly learning from the experiences of her seniors to increase her knowledge. In addition to the team's art performances for officers and soldiers in the unit, she was also sent to many music theory training programs taught by artists of the Military Region 4 Art Troupe and Nghe An Provincial Military Command Art Troupe, including many Nghe Folk Song programs.

In 1979, after leaving the army and returning to her hometown, with a love for Nghe An folk songs, in addition to the basic knowledge she had acquired about Vi and Dam folk songs, she constantly researched, supplemented, and learned from her predecessors, through the mass media, and followed and studied the folk song teaching program on Nghe An Radio and Television taught by artists Dinh Bao, Le Thanh, Tien Dung, and Hong Luu. Up to now, she has memorized and sung many Vi and Dam folk songs such as Vi Phuong Vai, Vi Do Dua; Dam Ke, Dam Duc Son, Dam Cua Quyen Xam Thuong; Nghe Ho, Ho Tren Song, Ho Khoan Di Duong and a number of other adapted melodies and developed songs that she cannot remember all of.

In daily life, she actively participates in local cultural and artistic movements and activities, is enthusiastic in political and social organizations such as the Women's Union, Farmers' Union, Veterans' Union, and is always enthusiastic and ready to teach folk song knowledge to those who love folk songs, especially the younger generation. In the club, she is an active and enthusiastic member. Although her business is busy all day, she is always concerned about the club's regular and effective activities. She takes advantage of all her time, anytime, anywhere, to be ready to teach all her knowledge of folk songs to the club members.

In the family, her husband is also a member of the club, her children love folk songs, know how to sing and perform many folk songs of Nghe An. She has participated in many folk song competitions organized by Cua Lo Town and won many high prizes. In 2011, Ms. Tran Thi Mui was sent by Nghi Hai Ward Club to participate in the first Nghe An Province folk song competition. Although she has not achieved many high achievements in the field of culture and arts, her silent contributions to the club, to the folk songs of Vi and Dam homeland, she truly deserves the title of folk artist that she was honored to be awarded in 2013. In addition to business, Ms. Mui is also a very good "banh muot maker" of Nghi Hai Ward, when coming to Nghi Hai, everyone knows Ms. Mui's banh muot or Ms. Mui's folk song singing, her house has long been the place to organize activities and practice sessions of Nghi Hai Ward folk song club.

Ms. Mui confided that folk songs are her burning passion and she always has a wholehearted love for folk songs.

Article and photos:Thu Huong