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Young students of a traditional music class (Photo: SGGP) |
Ms. My Dung, 41, an office employee, said that she loved Dan Tranh (16-string zither) at six years old when she listened to the instrument performed by a neighbor. Therefore, she started the first lessons of Dan Tranh at the age of 41 at a music class in a small valley in HCMC’s Tan Binh District after she has temporarily stabilized her life.
Meanwhile, Bao Ky, 30, a Vietnamese student studying in France, comes to a Dan Bau (one-string gourd zither) class with an aspiration of introducing Vietnamese music to international friends and fostering a love for folk music among young people.
Ms. Dang Thi Thuy Vy graduated from the HCMC Conservatory of Music and the Art Pedagogy faculty of Sai Gon University and has spent ten years of teaching Dan Tranh. She said that traditional musical instrument is a difficult subject due to their techniques and performing skills. Learners need a lot of time to practice and pursue their passion. She provides musical instruments to new learners to practice free for one month and offers affordable music classes.
Teacher Tran Ngoc Tu graduated from the HCMC Conservatory of Music and got around 20 years of teaching folk music creates a space of various traditional musical instruments to help learners have an opportunity to try different instruments before choosing the most appropriate one.
A music teacher who has many years of teaching folk music said that new learners should begin with Dan Tranh and T’rung instruments, two kinds of traditional musical instruments that are very easy to play. Dan Kim or Dan Nguyet (moon-shaped lute), Dan Tu (four-string instrument), flute, Dan Bau (one-string gourd zither), and Dan Co (two-string fiddle) are difficult choices because it needs tenaciousness, passion, and health.
