Vitality of Ca Tru

Meritorious Artist Do Quyen performs Ca Tru at Kenh Communal House.

Echoes of ancient songs

On the last Saturday of each month, in the ancient space of Kenh Communal House, the actors and actresses of Hai Phong Ca Tru Guild sing and beat the rhythmic clappers in front of a large crowd of locals and tourists. This activity has been maintained regularly since 2007.

The Hai Phong Ca Tru Association currently has more than 30 members, the youngest of whom is only 12 years old but can already take on the role of a courtier. The founder of the Hai Phong Ca Tru movement is Meritorious Artist Do Quyen, who is nearly 80 years old this year.

Ms. Quyen used to work at the Hai Phong Cheo Troupe, then transferred to the Department of Culture and Information (now the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism). She recounted her chance encounter with Ca Tru: “Back then, I had the opportunity to listen to veteran artists perform Ca Tru many times, and I was fascinated without realizing it. In 1993, I went to study Ca Tru and became the first member of the Hai Phong Ca Tru Club (now the Hai Phong Ca Tru Guild), and have been with it for over three decades.”

Since 2014, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong has begun to provide annual funding (20-30 million VND/year) to support the preservation, teaching and promotion of Ca Tru. For many years in a row, the Hai Phong Ca Tru Association has continuously won high prizes at national Ca Tru festivals. Since 2015, the Hai Phong Ca Tru Association has coordinated with Nguyen Cong Tru Primary School to open 6 training courses, attracting nearly 100 students to participate, of which more than 10 have become regular members of Ca Tru clubs.

Not only that, the model of teaching Ca Tru in schools is spreading to many localities. Every Tuesday afternoon, the traditional room of Dan Chu Primary School (Tan Ky commune) resounds with the rhythms, the sound of the stone instrument and young voices. This special class has been maintained for more than 10 years, taught directly by singer Truong Thi Chiem (granddaughter of People's Artist Nguyen Phu De, who is known as the "first famous musician" of Ca Tru).

Each year, about 40-60 students register for the course, divided into many groups. “I did not study pedagogy but always try to find suitable teaching methods to make the students interested. The older students who sing well will tutor the new students,” Ms. Chiem shared. Outstanding students are selected to participate in cultural and artistic activities at school and local levels.

In the classroom, all musical instruments such as clappers, wooden zithers, drums, mats, etc. are equipped. Students start by tapping the clappers, singing lullabies, singing Xam couplets, then learning to speak - a popular style of Ca Tru, which requires techniques of vibrating the voice, picking out the grains, holding the breath, and vibrating. Thanks to the methodical teaching, many children have nurtured a long-lasting love for the heritage.

Many schools in Hai Phong also regularly teach Ca Tru, gradually "rejuvenating" the next generation of this traditional art form with a limited audience.

Ca tru class at the traditional room of Democracy Primary School (Tan Ky commune).

So that ca tru is no longer 'choosy about listeners'

In a small house in Phu Da village (Binh Giang commune), the song “Dao Hong Dao Tuyet” resounded along with the deep, deep sound of the stone zither, the sound of clappers, and the bustling sound of drums. Two sisters, Tran Thi Thanh Truc and Tran Thi Bach Duong, were practicing enthusiastically under the guidance of their grandfather, Tran Van Tha.

Mr. Tha used to play many traditional musical instruments and was good at singing Cheo. In 2017, he started learning Ca Tru and passed the passion on to his grandchildren. Every summer, he took Truc and Duong to participate in Ca Tru art training classes organized by the Hai Duong Province Cultural and Art Center (formerly known as the Center for Culture and Arts). “He played the instrument, the youngest sister played the clapper and sang the main song, the older sister played the drum and sang the supporting song. The three of them performed together at many festivals,” Mr. Tha said.

Truc and Duong also expressed their desire to be involved with Ca Tru for a long time. In the evenings, when they are not busy with cultural studies, the three grandparents and grandchildren practice together.

Despite the positive signs, experts still recognize that the path to preserving Ca Tru is still arduous. Folklore researcher Nguyen Dinh Chinh, Chairman of the Hai Phong Folk Arts Association, said: “The Association is very interested in Ca Tru, and folk art composition camps encourage writing new lyrics for Ca Tru, with priority given to performances. But in reality, Ca Tru is still a genre that is 'selective of listeners', especially among young people, so it is necessary to promote preservation and dissemination work further.”

Mr. Chinh also emphasized that, in addition to the efforts of artists and clubs, there needs to be a stronger support mechanism in terms of funding and communication to bring ca tru closer to the public, especially the young generation. Because only when there are listeners and lovers, can ca tru truly survive in contemporary life.

LINH ANH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/suc-song-ca-tru-521186.html