The teacher 'ignites' the passion for wallets and gimmicks in his students
After nearly two decades of teaching, Mr. Nguyen Cao Bang (born in 1983) has fueled the passion for Vi and Giam folk songs in many generations of students. He has aroused pride in the cultural heritage of his homeland in the young generation, helping them not only to perfect their talents but also to connect more closely with the roots of national culture.
The 8X teacher and his deep love for wallets and coins
In mid-November, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam folk songs being recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, more than 1,000 young people from Nghe An participated in the forum.“Nghe An Youth and Children with Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Songs”at Do Luong 3 High School, Do Luong district.
At the forum, there was a special teacher who shared many meaningful stories about Vi and Giam folk songs, and also sang many deep and affectionate folk songs that made the young people extremely excited. That teacher was Nguyen Cao Bang - Teacher in charge of the Youth Union, Thai Son Primary School with a long history of remarkable achievements related to preserving and spreading the value of Vi and Giam folk songs to the young generation.
Talking about his achievements, we can mention the A Prize in the National Vi and Giam Folk Song Festival in 2015, A Prize in the Nghe Tinh Vi and Giam Folk Song Festival in 2016, First Prize in the Folk Song Singing Contest in Do Luong District Schools in 2018...
Recently, in 2023, he continued to win first prize atFolk song contest in schoolsDo Luong district. These achievements not only affirm the teacher's talent and dedication, but also prove his enduring passion for the homeland's folk songs.
He said he was born in Thai Son, Do Luong in a family with a great love for traditional cultural forms. Since childhood, he followed his brothers and sisters in the family to participate in local art performances, witnessing the Vi and Giam folk songs performed with full emotion.
A little older, when watching the Folk singing programs taught by People's Artist Tien Dung on television, Mr. Bang gained more in-depth understanding of this genre. From then on, he nurtured the dream of taking the entrance exam to Nghe An College of Culture and Arts.
That dream became a reality, in 2006 he graduated and received a decision to teach at Tru Son Secondary School. Over time, he changed through many positions and is currently a teacher in charge of the Youth Union at Thai Son Primary School, Do Luong District..
At each school he worked at, Mr. Bang established folk song clubs with dozens of students participating each year. In his role as the Team Leader, he led the students in the club to participate in many competitions organized by departments and branches. In particular, he personally composed, arranged and staged folk songs for students to practice. Therefore, in large and small competitions, teachers and students have become familiar faces, reaping many noble awards.
Nurturing talent
Under the guidance of Mr. Nguyen Cao Bang, many students in Do Luong district have had the opportunity to show their talent and love for Vi and Giam folk songs. Among them, Pham Thi Phuong (born 2003) - she is currently a student at the Vietnam National Academy of Music. Pham Thi Phuong is a native of Tru Son land, from a young age she had a talent for singing.
Recognizing her potential, along with the trust of her family, Mr. Bang guided and trained her to participate in many large and small competitions of the district and the province. The most memorable memory was probably in 2018, when she was one of the students trusted by Mr. Bang to play the main role in the folk song "You are better than me" to compete at the Folk Song Singing Competition in Nghe An Province's schools in 2018. With her natural acting style and the experience that she had been carefully trained by the teacher, Phuong and her friends won the first prize. That was an important motivation to encourage her to stick with the music path in the future.
Recalling the time under the guidance of teacher Nguyen Cao Bang, Pham Thi Phuong shared: “He helped us embark on a journey to discover the values of Vi and Giam folk songs. For him, each song is not just a performance, but also a connection between students and their roots and the land where they were born. It is that love and enthusiasm that has helped us develop our own talents and also be proud of the precious cultural values of our homeland. From there, we carry within us the desire to preserve and promote it in modern life.”
That thought is probably also the common thought of many students when thinking about Mr. Bang, like the boy Nguyen Cong The Dan (born 2013), currently the Team Leader of Tran Phu Secondary School (Do Luong District). Under the guidance of Mr. Bang, he made an important contribution to helping his group win the First Prize at the Folk Song Singing Contest in Do Luong District Schools in the 2023-2024 school year.
More interestingly, thanks to folk songs, Thế Đan won prizes in competitions that seemed… unrelated to folk songs. That is because he was guided by Mr. Bang to choose this type to create lively drama performances. Or skillfully put dry information into the lyrics of folk songs to create works that are both informative and emotional. That is an important factor that helped him win many high prizes in the National Traffic Safety Students Competition, the Dien Bien Young Soldiers Festival or the Excellent Star Manager Competition at all levels.
“After nearly 20 years of working with students, for me the simple joy is seeing them grow up and understand the value of national culture.
That is also the motivation for me to continue to devote myself to my work, to my passion for folk songs, and to continue with my students to preserve the cultural heritage of my homeland in the coming journey.
Teacher Nguyen Cao Bang