People's Artist Tien Dung: To have the mission of spreading and transmitting requires a lifetime

Nghe An Newspaper had a conversation with People's Artist Tien Dung before the music night.

- 40 years may not be too long in a human life, but it is a significant period of time for a music career. What do you say about this?

- First of all, it must be said that 40 years is a long journey for me in terms of numbers but not long in terms of a musical journey because each artist needs a preliminary period to step into the music house that people call the profession, and then the years of tireless efforts to affirm their name.

People's Artist Tien Dung performs the song Neo Dau Ben Que composed by Thuan Yen during the program's trial run. Photo: Thanh Nga

- So we can divide the 40 years into 10 years, the first 10 years are for performing, dedicating ourselves and working hard, learning to shine. The next 10 years are for creative research for the music genre we pursue. The next 20 years are for transmission and dissemination. But to have those 20 years of transmission, the artist himself must explore, research and create a lot. In addition to composing songs, he must have new arrangements to create many vivid models of ancient folk songs to preserve the Vi and Giam and transmit them in the most natural way, so 20 years is not enough. Therefore, to complete the musical path, it takes a lifetime.

- Some people say that it is rare for an artist to be successful in all three areas of performance, composition and research. So, People's Artist, which area do you consider the most important and successful in your 40-year journey with music?

- I am a geological engineer and have a passion for music thanks to my passion for folk songs and hometown melodies, so I joined the Nghe Tinh Folk Song Group in the early 80s of the last century. Through the process of striving and training, I am fortunate to be loved by the audience and listeners of Nghe An for songs such as:Walk in Tram Huong,The moon is waning, in the middle of Moscow I hear the folk song of Nghe Tinh.,People visiting their hometownAnd it was those songs that made the name of singer Tien Dung at that time.

But later I delved into researching and composing lyrics for the ancient Vi and Dam melodies to create many familiar songs that are loved by many people such as: Mot long doi ban, Ban hat gheo, Vi nguon thuong... this is the source of passion that flows forever in me and never stops. Also during this time I participated in teaching at the provincial School of Culture and Arts and had the opportunity to meet many excellent students, they were the ones who let me resonate with my passion and bring folk songs closer to life, to the workers...

So, to say which field is the most important and significant, I think at each stage and each journey I put on myself a responsibility to best complete the goals I set.

People's Artist Tien Dung and his daughter, singer Huong Tram. Photo: FBNV

- People say your family is a successful artistic family. Although your children do not pursue the same musical genre as you, they have achieved much success and are admired by the public nationwide. So what is your way of passing on folk music so that even though they do not sing folk songs, they still love, cherish and fulfill their duty to pass it on?

Huong Tram will perform the song "Singing wholeheartedly about you" in the night "40 years of music" by People's Artist Tien Dung. Photo: Thanh Nga

For me, the most important thing to do to fulfill my duty of transmission is to know how to love Nghe folk songs anytime, anywhere. And my children have had this since they were young, even though they did not choose it for their performing career. And just loving and singing along to it whenever they listen to their father’s tapes and CDs is also the way they spread Nghe folk songs.

Tien Manh and Phuong Thanh will perform the song "Meeting in the Festival Season". Photo: Thanh Nga

And luckily, we have a daughter-in-law named Phuong Thanh who is pursuing this music genre, and she always receives advice from her husband in each performance. Therefore, I can completely trust them, artists who are serious about their profession.

- After this program, the audience continues to look forward to the next musical products of the People's Artist. Can you reveal any musical projects in the near future?

- I will continue to compose and preserve and promote Vi Dam folk songs, bringing them to the closest and most everyday performance spaces.

Thank you and good luck for the show!