Authorities of northern Phu Tho province are working to bring Xoansinging out of the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need ofUrgent Safeguarding as soon as in 2016, Ha Ke San, Vice Chairman of theprovincial People's Committee, has said.
Measuresbeing taken include carrying out research, teaching, training andcollection, as well as compiling information about the area's heritage,San said.
Ancient Xoan songs, which had beentransmitted orally, will be collected, recorded and publicised to serveas training and research materials, he added.
Thereis a plan involving the restoration, preservation and practice of thesinging in four original Xoan communities in Phu Duc, Kim Doi, Thet andAn Thai, he added.
Various classes teaching Xoansinging have been held for those who are interested in the singinggenre, including teenagers, under the guidance of 15 masters.
Renowned singer Nguyen Thi Lich said the teaching of Xoan singing forthe next generations is crucial to remove the genre from the list ofCultural Heritage In Need of Urgent Safeguarding and promote its valuesever then.
The training of the next generations ofXoan singers has been defined as top priority in the project to preservethe genre and promote its value that was approved by the PrimeMinister.
According to the provincial official, thepromotion of the Xoan heritage of the Hung Kings worship religion, whichwas recognised as one of the world's intangible heritage in 2012,should be connected to the development of tourism through performancesof xoan singing troupes from 2016 to 2020.
Xoansinging, or hat xoan, is a genre of Vietnamese folk music performed inthe spring, during the first two months of the Lunar New Year or Tet inthe northern province of Phu Tho.
Traditionallysingers from Xoan guilds performed songs in sacred spaces such astemples, shrines and communal houses for the spring festivals. There arethree forms of Xoan singing: worship singing for the Hung Kings andvillage guardian spirits; ritual singing for good crops, health andluck; and festival singing where villagers alternate made and femalevoices in a form of courtship.
Each Xoan musicguild is headed by a leader, referred to as the Trum; maleinstrumentalists are called Kep and female singer, Dao. Xoan singing isaccompanies by dancing and musical instruments such as clappers and avariety of drums.
The music has a spare structurewith few ornamental notes and simple rhythms and Xoan is characterisedby a modulation between singers and instrumentalists at the perfectfourth interval.
Knowledge, customs and techniquesfor singing, dancing and playing drum and clappers are traditionallytransmitted orally by the guild leader. However, the majority of bearersare now over 60 years old and the number of people who appreciate Xoansinging have decreased, particularly among the young generations.-VNA
Measuresbeing taken include carrying out research, teaching, training andcollection, as well as compiling information about the area's heritage,San said.
Ancient Xoan songs, which had beentransmitted orally, will be collected, recorded and publicised to serveas training and research materials, he added.
Thereis a plan involving the restoration, preservation and practice of thesinging in four original Xoan communities in Phu Duc, Kim Doi, Thet andAn Thai, he added.
Various classes teaching Xoansinging have been held for those who are interested in the singinggenre, including teenagers, under the guidance of 15 masters.
Renowned singer Nguyen Thi Lich said the teaching of Xoan singing forthe next generations is crucial to remove the genre from the list ofCultural Heritage In Need of Urgent Safeguarding and promote its valuesever then.
The training of the next generations ofXoan singers has been defined as top priority in the project to preservethe genre and promote its value that was approved by the PrimeMinister.
According to the provincial official, thepromotion of the Xoan heritage of the Hung Kings worship religion, whichwas recognised as one of the world's intangible heritage in 2012,should be connected to the development of tourism through performancesof xoan singing troupes from 2016 to 2020.
Xoansinging, or hat xoan, is a genre of Vietnamese folk music performed inthe spring, during the first two months of the Lunar New Year or Tet inthe northern province of Phu Tho.
Traditionallysingers from Xoan guilds performed songs in sacred spaces such astemples, shrines and communal houses for the spring festivals. There arethree forms of Xoan singing: worship singing for the Hung Kings andvillage guardian spirits; ritual singing for good crops, health andluck; and festival singing where villagers alternate made and femalevoices in a form of courtship.
Each Xoan musicguild is headed by a leader, referred to as the Trum; maleinstrumentalists are called Kep and female singer, Dao. Xoan singing isaccompanies by dancing and musical instruments such as clappers and avariety of drums.
The music has a spare structurewith few ornamental notes and simple rhythms and Xoan is characterisedby a modulation between singers and instrumentalists at the perfectfourth interval.
Knowledge, customs and techniquesfor singing, dancing and playing drum and clappers are traditionallytransmitted orally by the guild leader. However, the majority of bearersare now over 60 years old and the number of people who appreciate Xoansinging have decreased, particularly among the young generations.-VNA
