Heavy hearted fishing, singing...

(Baonghean) - She not only successfully collected and performed many Vi and Giam melodies, but also passed on her passion for her hometown's folk songs to the younger generation. That is folk artist Nguyen Thi Am (83 years old), in hamlet 7, Quynh Hau commune (Quynh Luu).

Folk artist Nguyen Thi Am (83 years old), in hamlet 7, Quynh Hau commune (Quynh Luu).

At the age of 8, Nguyen Thi Am began to be "infected" with the passion for Vi and Giam folk songs in a famous folk singing family in Beo Hau village (now Quynh Hau commune) where both her grandparents and father were passionate about it. Over the years, her love for folk songs grew in her and became indispensable; she painstakingly recorded and collected ancient melodies in her folk song notebook.

Up to now, she has recorded over 200 melodies. Despite her advanced age, she still painstakingly and enthusiastically passes them on to the children in the village; and has also composed and adapted a number of new melodies to suit the breath of life, such as on the theme of celebrating the Party and Spring, praising the renewed countryside...

Also from her lifelong love of folk songs, folk artist Nguyen Thi Am still plays the role of a pillar of the Vi and Giam folk song singing and preservation club of hamlet 7, Quynh Hau commune. Her house has long been a place where club members meet, live, and practice singing folk songs together, including her compositions that have helped the club win many awards at district and provincial level festivals.

Nguyen Thi Linh, a “young” member of the Folk Song and Preservation Club of Hamlet 7, who is 9 years old this year, said: “Before, I followed my grandparents to Mr. Am’s house to listen to folk songs and was very fascinated by his voice, then by the folk songs of Hamlet 7; so I joined the hamlet’s club when I was 6 years old. Now I can sing folk songs fluently and perform confidently. I want to learn from Mr. Am and pass on my passion for folk songs to my classmates and schoolmates…”

In recognition of Ms. Nguyen Thi Am's dedication to preserving and passing on the precious folk songs of Vi and Giam to the next generation, in July 2013, the Vietnam Folk Arts Association awarded her the title of Folk Artist.

Nhu Thuy