Young artist passionate about T'rung

Not only becoming the youngest artisan in the province, Srina is also an excellent student with many outstanding achievements in her studies.

Since the age of 7, Rcom Nay H Srina has had a love affair with the T'rung instrument and started a journey of passionate practice. **Photo: Dong Lai**

Born into a family with a tradition of Bahnar ethnic music , Rcom Nay H Srina soon showed a special talent for traditional musical instruments. Since the age of 6, she followed her mother, Rcom H'Sơn (born in 1990), to perform accompaniment instruments with the local Piơm village's Traditional Instrument Team.

During those performances, Srina was captivated by the clear, resonant sound of the T'rung. “The T'rung is beautiful and special, each sound is like the chirping of birds or the flowing of a stream,” Srina shared.

At the age of 7, Srina started practicing the T'rung under her mother's guidance. In the early days, her small hands were often red, swollen, and tired, and she kept playing out of rhythm. "There were times when I wanted to give up, but thanks to my mother's encouragement, I persevered, breaking down each piece of music into small pieces, practicing it over and over again dozens of times, then comparing it with the sounds of other artists to adjust the rhythm. The more I played, the more I felt like the sound of the instrument was talking to me, making me reluctant to leave," Srina confided.

In just over a month, Srina gradually conquered the T'rung. While studying at Truong Vinh Ky Primary School (Dak Doa commune), she participated in a T'rung performance at school. “The first time I stood in front of a crowd, I was very nervous, my hands kept hitting the wrong rhythm. But when I heard everyone clapping and cheering, I felt happy and wanted to try harder,” Srina recalled.

Rcom Nay H Srina (third from left) and members of the Piơm Village Traditional Instrument Team (Dak Đoa Commune) in Bana ethnic costumes, preparing to perform in Dak Đoa Commune. **Photo: Dong Lai**

In the second semester of grade 5, she received a scholarship to Sao Viet Inter-level School (Pleiku ward). Here, Srina joined the T'rung Club, practicing 3 sessions/week under the systematic guidance of teachers. Her skills improved rapidly, and she had the opportunity to perform in many major art programs of the school and the province.

From 2022, Srina appeared on big stages such as: Weekend Gong Festival at Dai Doan Ket Square (Pleiku ward), Provincial English Talent Contest, Gia Lai Gong Culture Festival... Thanks to her efforts, Srina has achieved initial achievements: Youngest female artist at the Festival

The first Gia Lai province Ethnic Minority Culture Festival (2022), second prize in the ensemble at the Dak Doa district Ethnic Culture Festival (2024)...

Not only playing the T'rung, Srina also learns to play percussion instruments, pipes, and participates in the Bana traditional musical ensemble and xoang dance. Mastering many musical instruments helps her become more confident on stage, and at the same time contributes to enriching the team's performances.

Sharing about her dream, Srina expressed: "I want to participate in many festivals and cultural events to bring the T'rung instrument further, introducing traditional Bana musical instruments to friends from all over the world."

Ms. Rcom H'Sonh is instructing Srina to play modern music on the T'rung. **Photo: Dong Lai**

Ms. Dinh Thi Lan, an official of the Dak Doa Commune Culture, Information and Sports Center, commented: “Although Srina is young, she has a special passion and talent. Her musical performance contributes to inspiring the younger generation to preserve and promote the Bana cultural identity.”

Along with her passion for music, Srina also achieved many impressive academic achievements, especially in English: Excellent student from grade 1 to grade 5, Second prize in the Provincial English Talent Contest (2023), First prize in grade 5 of the English Olympic contest on the internet (2023-2024), Gold prize in the HIPPO 2024 qualifying round, participating in the international round of the CODEAVOUR 6.0 contest in Qatar...

“I like learning English because it is the key to understanding more about the world. Thanks to English, I can introduce my traditional musical instruments to international friends,” said Srina.

Sharing about her daughter, Ms. Rcom H'Sonh said: "Srina had the opportunity to approach foreign languages from a young age thanks to her family. I am an English teacher, and her grandfather also often converses in foreign languages. Seeing my daughter become more and more confident, bold, and especially loves both music and studying, I am truly happy."

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/nghe-nhan-nhi-say-me-dan-trung-post564443.html