The heartfelt folk songs of the region.

(Baonghean) - The "Returning to the Land of Folk Songs and Melodies" cultural exchange night, organized by the Alumni Association of Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School in collaboration with the school's Board of Directors, once again brought the folk melodies deeply imbued with the cultural essence of Hong Lam into people's hearts with sacred emotions... A large audience together experienced deeply moving moments, immersing themselves in every gentle sound of their homeland...

Performance by students of class 10C1 - Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School

For the students of Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School, Saturday evening, December 20th, was filled with excitement as they awaited a special event – ​​the "Returning to the Land of Folk Songs and Melodies" exchange, a meaningful gift from the Phan Boi Chau Alumni Association and the school's administration. Folk songs and melodies, already familiar to the students of Nghe An province through the lullabies of their mothers and grandmothers, were once again immersed in the atmosphere of a night of reverence for their roots. "For us, the exchange night was truly an extracurricular learning experience, exploring the essence of our homeland, and gaining a deeper understanding of the people and human relationships in life," shared Tran Thi Huong Thao, a student in class 10 C4.

Pham Thi Cuong, a student in class 12 A5, recounted: “When I was little, my grandmother used to sing folk songs like Vi and Giam every day. Recently, when UNESCO recognized Vi and Giam folk songs as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, she was very happy. She said it was a well-deserved recognition, especially for our generation to have more pride among the people of the country and our friends around the world…” Meanwhile, Tran Thi Trang, a student in class 11 C1, excitedly showed off her small video camera, saying she would record the exchange program to post on her personal page as a gift for all her friends. “I am very proud and honored to be from Uncle Ho's hometown; proud to be a young citizen of the land of Vi and Giam folk songs.” When asked if she knew any of the Vi and Giam songs by heart, she replied… Raising her bright eyes, Trang half-read, half-sang: “My homeland, Nghe An/ Folk songs and melodies that transform the Lao wind into a cool breeze of my homeland/ My homeland, Nghe An/ Where Uncle Ho was born and raised/ Where barren land cannot hide indomitable gazes/ Where the Lao wind passes by and then bows its head and disappears/ Because of shame before the fire in our hearts…” Suddenly, I understood why the students of Phan School had gathered in such large numbers tonight with such fervent enthusiasm.

At 8 PM, the warm hearts of countless students from Phan School gathered at their beloved school, dispelling the chill of the winter night and stirring up shared emotions as the "Returning to the Land of Ví and Giặm Folk Songs" exchange program opened on the schoolyard stage. Many parents had arrived early tonight. Mrs. Hoang Thi Chinh, 68 years old, from Vinh Phuc block, Hung Phuc ward, said that she loves Ví and Giặm folk songs very much. Blending with the atmosphere of the night, she felt the captivating power of a cultural value from her homeland, summarizing it all: "Ví and Giặm are for all ages…" Indeed, the land of Ví and Giặm unfolded before everyone's hearts. The performances, with their Ví and Giặm melodies, resonated deeply with people because of their simplicity, tranquility, and evocative nature, a place where the soul of the homeland could be deeply anchored, exceeding all expectations. This is because the program "Returning to the Land of Folk Songs and Melodies" was meticulously staged by former students of Phan School and the school's teaching staff, conveying an indescribable feeling of homeland, a profound connection to their roots. The program opened with the performance of "Offering Betel" by former students of Phan School. The captivating folk song and melody of inviting betel to the betel nut vividly recreated a nuance of the affectionate and meaningful interactions of people from our homeland in the past: "A piece of betel nut soaked in lime and tobacco, its aroma infused with fragrance / The loyalty of Nghe An province / A fragrant betel nut imbued with the affection of the village / Simple and rustic, yet deeply heartfelt."

The artistic space, followed by spectacular performances, transported everyone back to the roots of the folk songs and melodies of Nghe An. While "The Sparkling Soul of Nghe An" offered an overview of folk songs and melodies, and the homeland that gave birth to this unique art form ("Many famous people, many heroes/ grew up from the land of folk songs and melodies"); performances such as "Testing Loyalty," "My Fishing Village," "Hat-Making Chant," "Anger and Love," "Boat-Swimming Chant," "Vinh City at Dawn," and "Homeland is Hong Mountain and Lam River," with their simple lyrics and expressive regional dialects, vividly captured the unique spirit of the homeland, stirring the hearts of the audience. They also showcased the refined, emotional, fierce yet tolerant, shrewd yet graceful, and especially filial and faithful nature of the people of Nghe An, as expressed in their heartfelt expressions of love and longing. Listening intently to the folk melodies of his homeland, Vu Dinh Hung, a student in class 10 C6, expressed: “Tonight, watching the performances, I have gained a better understanding of this art form. Ví and Giặm are inseparable from working life; they are living entities that constantly absorb and embrace new things. Knowing quite a few melodies, I find some very simple and easy to learn, but others are very difficult because they are scholarly, profound, and have refined, delicate lyrics. Yet, all of them are affectionate, gentle, and graceful.”

People's Artist Hong Luu interacts with the audience.

The emotional impact of the "Returning to the Land of Ví and Giặm Folk Songs" program was further enhanced by a very engaging interactive session. Teachers and students had the opportunity to interact with "historical witnesses of Ví and Giặm folk songs" – namely, Ms. Dinh Thi Le Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province and head of the Nghe An delegation that went to Paris to persuade UNESCO to recognize Ví and Giặm folk songs as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity; People's Artist Trinh Hong Luu, Deputy Director of the Center for Conservation and Promotion of Ví and Giặm Folk Song Heritage; and musician Le Ham, author of many new Ví and Giặm melodies; and singer Que Thuong, who has successfully performed many songs rich in Ví and Giặm folk song elements. Ms. Dinh Thi Le Thanh recounted her anxieties when 14 out of 40 art forms from various countries were not recognized, followed by overwhelming joy when Ví and Giặm folk songs were officially recognized by UNESCO with a unanimous vote of 24/24. People's Artist Hong Luu shared about the longing and anticipation of the people of Nghe An province awaiting news from their homeland. People's Artist Le Ham expressed his utmost welcome to the "Returning to the Land of Vi and Giam" program, and hoped that today's young intellectuals would proactively contribute to keeping Vi and Giam alive in the soul of their homeland and enduring as a cultural value in the modern era.

“Returning to the land of Ví and Giặm folk songs” is not simply about talking and listening. This fascinating artistic space is not mystical or lofty, but very close and intimate, with artists offering betel nuts to the audience, interspersed between performances with interactions between artists and students. And suddenly, we understood more of the rustic yet inviting spirit of Ví and Giặm folk songs when Ms. Dinh Thi Le Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, passionately sang the Ví song “Giận Thương” (Anger and Love) – a song that the Nghe An delegation convinced UNESCO to sing beautifully. In the program, the interaction with students from Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School not only demonstrated their intelligence and quick wit, but also their excellent singing, knowing many songs and confidently showcasing their abilities. Nguyen Thi My Tien, a student in class 10C1, who sang the Xẩm song “Công cha nghĩa mẹ ơn thầy” (Father's Merit, Mother's Love, Teacher's Gratitude), said: “Actually, I have known Ví and Giặm folk songs since I was in primary school. My teachers taught me to sing them.” "The more you sing, the more you appreciate it, the more you love it, and from there you become passionate about singing. The lyrics of the traditional folk songs are very beautiful, and modern folk songs, if you know how to appreciate them, are also very captivating." In the "intoxicating atmosphere" of folk songs tonight, there is a special performance: "Folk Song Calling Friends of Truong Phan School," with lyrics written by Ms. Pham Thi Hong Toan – a former student of the school. The song speaks of the teacher-student relationship and friendship in a truly poignant way, reflecting the rhythm and breath of today's society with flexible and rich expression, soaring yet remaining close and deeply rooted in the spirit of Nghe An province...

Ms. Phan Ngoc Minh, a former student of Phan Boi Chau High School, class of 12, traveled all the way from Hanoi to attend the exchange night. Smiling brightly, she said: “Today’s program has received much support from the school’s alumni. We all hope that the folk songs of Vi and Giam will spread and deeply resonate…” This reflects the heartfelt desire of the senior students to make the younger generation of Phan Boi Chau High School even more proud of their traditional culture, to love their homeland even more, so that later, when they spread their wings and fly far to the mountains and seas, they will always remember this land full of affection, and their hearts will always turn towards building their homeland. Suddenly, I felt a deep sense of emotion in the words of Mr. Ngo Van Phuc, Vice Principal of Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School, who was moved by the gesture of gratitude from the former students. For the teacher, that affection from his students is the red thread that tightly binds tradition with the future, affirming the vibrant life of the Ví and Giặm folk songs... The song "Farewell" was sung: "The Ví and Giặm songs resonate with the soul of the homeland / Singing together under the late night moon / If you don't want to go home, how can I?" The exchange night ended, but a vast sense of lingering affection was exchanged, opening up many emotions in the audience and in the program organizers themselves – a deep love for the Ví and Giặm folk songs of "our homeland".

Thanh Son