To foster the love of Tai Tu music and cai luong

The Center for Culture, Information and Sports of Di An city has just organized the 12th Expanded Contest on Voice of Tai Tu and Cai Luong in 2023 with 50 contestants of various ages inside and outside the province participating for the goal of exchanging and learning, cultivating more passion and skills in performing the art of Tai Tu Music and Cai Luong.

Tran Hong Tham and Tran Van Linh of Thu Dau Mot city perform an excerpt of the Cai Luong – Qua Cau Det Lua (The Silk Weaving Bridge)

Various shades

Starting from March 25 to April 1, the contest attracted the enthusiastic participation of 50 contestants of various ages from Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh city, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Tay Ninh, and districts, towns and cities of Binh Duong. The contestants were divided into 2 groups: Group A from 16-40 years old, Group B from 41 years old and more performing in 2 forms of solo and duet. After 2 rounds of preliminary and semi-finals, 12 contestants and 3 pairs of contestants were selected for the final round.

In the final round, each contestant perform a solo song with four optional chants, and each duo perform an optional cai luong excerpt. The most impressive is the promising voice of Bui Minh Nho, born in 2002 from Bien Hoa city of Dong Nai province. As the youngest contestant in the contest in the costume of a navy soldier, Minh Nho performed quite roundly 4 old resounding sentences in the song.

Not only did the contest appear with many young vocalists, it also attracted older vocalists who have always had a lot of love for Tai Tu  Music and Cai Luong. Ngo Van Tinh, born in 1960 from Ho Chi Minh city is the oldest contestant with a warm voice that has conquered the audience and the jury  to win the prize in group B of 41 years old or older.

In particular, the audience had the opportunity to enjoy 3 excerpts of Cai Luong that were once resounding by the pairs of contestants participating in the final round. Although the performance was not as excellent as famous artists, the contestants have invested in practicing and choreographed quite meticulously to bring to the competition the roles that blend with both sweet and passionate lyrics that captivate people's hearts.

Tran Van Linh, born in 1985 of An Giang and a salesman in Thu Dau Mot city, said that after 3 rounds of competition, he had the opportunity to learn more deeply about the lessons and the rhythmsin excerpts and knew how to perform on stage, so, whatever the result, the contest is also a time to satisfy his passion of singing.

To meet and disseminate

The 12th expansion of Di An city's Vocalist - Cai Luong Vocal Competition 2023 is a reunion and exchange between generations of amateur inside and outside the province. In the contest, young actors had the opportunity to exchange and learn many good lessons from their predecessors and masters in the world of folk music and reforms.

Truong Ngoc Vu - Director of the Center for Culture, Information and Sports of Di An city, said that the contest is an annual playground organized to discover and foster talents in the field of Tai Tu Music. Thereby, the contest contributes to the preservation and development of traditional folk-artistic cultural forms in the spirit of the Resolution of the 9th Conference of the 11th CPV Central Committee on construction and develop Vietnamese culture and people to meet the needs of the country's sustainable development.

According to Mai My Duyen, former lecturer of the Graduate School of HCMC University of Culture, there are now many art activities that attract the public, but many seniors remain. Aged and young people who still pursue the art of Tai Tu Music and Cai Luong like a contest in Di An city, which is very precious. Hopefully, the high-prize winners will promote their own internal strength, in the next contests, as more young attendants will be and encourage their friends to participate.

Reported by Thuc Van – Translated by Vi Bao