VietNamNet Bridge – People who have a chance to visit Then Village in Thai Dao Commune in the northern province of Bac Giang’s Lang Giang District will be amazed to see the elderly and kids skillfully play violin.

First runner-up of Miss Vietnam 2016 Ngo Thanh Thanh Tu (4th, R)) poses for photos with members of the violin team in Then Village.

Bringing violin to the village

Then Village is about 60km north of Hanoi via National Highway 1A. During festivals or special days of the year, tourists can admire music performances by local violinists at temples or cultural houses.

Violinist Nguyen Huu Dua, aged 82, is a living example of the music movement in the locality. The elderly Dua is the one who has been inspiring and teaching local villagers how to play violin. Those who pass by his house will have a chance to admire his performances.

According to Dua, people in Then Village are able to play some musical instruments like the two-string instrument, flute and monochord. Between 1930 and 1945, a local music team was known in the region for their talent.

Local people started to know about Western musical instruments firstly via the mandolin. In 1949, two local men named Bui Tien Xich and Nguyen Quang Cuong bought two mandolins and began to learn how to play this instrument.

In 1956, the local music movement was at its glory days. At the moment, Dua, who was then aged 22, and his peers in the music team had an initiative to learn a new musical instrument to help enrich the performances of the team. Then, Dua came to Hanoi to buy two violins. Since then, the local music team had attracted over 70 people. It is reported that nine families in the locality even sold their cows and buffalos to buy violins, cellos and guitars. Local villagers also invited teacher Do Hai, a resident in Bac Ninh Province who has studied violin in France, to teach the music team.

After that, Dua became the lead violinist of the team thanks to his music ability and knowledge. During the 1960s to the early years of the 21st century, Dua had taught thousands of students in Then Village and neighboring areas about violin. After 60 years since the first violin was introduced into the village, 70% of local residents have owned violins and over 150 people of different ages played the instrument skillfully.

Joy with violin

Nguyen Quang Khoa, head of the violin team of Then Village, said that most of the members of the team are farmers who have shown their great hard working in the farm to support their families. Ha Van Thu, a farmer/violinist, said that music, especially violin, has helped bring creativity and passion for local farmers in their daily farming life.

Then Village is among the locations to have adapted the most advanced technologies in agriculture in the province. After work, local farmers spend their time for music and people can see farmers playing violin everywhere, from the rice field to the hill.

Nguyen Sy Chu, who is in his 70s, is a special student of Teacher Dua. Over ten years ago, Chu suffered from an accident that caused him much difficulty to walk. However, with his strong will and determination, Chu came to see Teacher Dua to learn violin and has later skillfully played the instrument. “His determination to use music to help release the physical pain is such a relief for his soul,” Teacher Nguyen Huu Dua added.

Currently, Nguyen Quang Khoa and Ha Chinh are violin teachers for children in the locality. During summer time, classes lectured by teachers Khoa and Chinh are full of sounds of kids and music.

Nguyen Van Nam, a 8th grade student in the violin team, shared that he and other members of the music team are invited to perform at many events in Bac Giang Province and neighboring areas during summer time. Teachers Dua, Khoa and Chinh are passionate to bring music knowledge to more people without any benefits for themselves. And the story about Then Village, a cradle of many talented artists like Tran Vinh, Bui Dac Su, Quoc Minh, Ha Huy Bai, and Le Van Khanh should be an example for other locations to learn.

Nguyen Huu Dua and his son play violin. Nguyen Huu Dua has several violins and other traditional musical instruments in his house.   A young member of the violin team of Then Village learns some basic steps – Photos: Hai Duong

SGT

Hai Duong