Whenever the festive season is in full swing, visitors come to join troupes in the Quan ho villages in the North of the Cau River. On the riverside, boats are busy welcoming visitors to "play Quan ho" with typical cultural features.

The singers of Viet Yen district enjoy spring festival.

On this occasion, the male and female Quan ho singers in Noi Ninh village, Ninh Son commune, Viet Yen district often meet at the communal house to sing Quan ho. Sometimes there are only a few couples singing together, but there are also big troupes including 10 to 15 couples serving villagers and guests. Noi Ninh is one of the five ancient Quan ho villages in the North of the Cau River. Here, artisan Doan Thi Tinh will sing and tell visitors about the "Quan ho playing".

According to artisan Dam Thi Bui, head of the Quan ho Club in Noi Ninh village, the club has 41 male and female singers of all ages. Among them, three female signers were conferred the title of ‘artisan’, of whom two are still alive, namely Doan Thi Tinh and Dam Thi Bui. Every day, they teach Quan ho songs for the younger generations. To prepare for the festive season, the club members regularly practice on Sunday evenings at the communal house and select outstanding pairs of singers for the spring festivals. Some families have four generations who can sing Quan ho, such as the families of Doan Thi Hop, Nguyen Thi Tiep, and Doan Van Dua.

For the same melody, each village's troupe has its own way of performing to attract listeners. The male and female singers in Ha Lat village, Tien Son commune, Viet Yen district are well-known for their love-exchange singing style. Life is modern, but the ritual of welcoming friends here is still preserved. The old generations have passed on the tradition to the next, so today, everyone in the village, from children to the elderly, can sing Quan ho songs. Many people from the village, even they live far away, cannot forget those sweet and passionate sounds.

In the spring, most villages along the Cau River in Bac Giang province organise festivals at their communal houses and pagodas. Despite being a village festival, there is always a Quan ho singing exchange programme between troupes from the villages, including Noi Ninh and Huu Nghi village festivals in Ninh Son commune, Than Truc and Bo Da village festivals in Tien Son commune, and Tho Ha village festival in Van Ha commune (Viet Yen district); Yen Tap Bac village festival in Yen Lu commune (Yen Dung district); Vu Nong village festival in Bac Ly commune, and Cam Xuyen, Cam Bao and Cam Trung village festivals in Xuan Cam commune (Hiep Hoa district).

Quan ho female singers at the Van festival in Yen Vien village, Van Ha commune, Viet Yen district.

They sing from the opening to the end of the festival with many singing styles such as singing for congratulation, and singing to welcome each other from the village gate, invite each other into the communal house to sing together, take friends to see the festival, and invite friends to join meals at home. Quan ho people are inherently humble and polite in all activities. 

Each Quan ho verse has a meaning, containing many things that the singer wants to say, helping people understand each other more. Even though it was just an exchange, the male and female singers all show off their distinctive sweet voices. Fascinated by the beauty of the heritage of Quan ho folk songs, many foreign tourists have also visited Quan ho troupes through tours to experience Tho Ha and Bo Da.

Quan ho is not only the pride but also the "own capital" of the people here. Amid the contemporary rhythm of life, the male and female singers, originally kind and simple farmers who can go to the field to grow rice and work at the factory in the day, wear four-part dresses in the evening to join Quan ho singing festivals. Therefore, Quan ho has stepped out of the village into the world to become a heritage of humanity honored by UNESCO.

The friend-making custom in quan ho singing

(BGO) - Bac Giang is an ancient land which is home to quan ho (love duets) singing - an elegant hobby that has always been attractive and pervasive in the hearts of the people of the Kinh Bac region, especially those living on the two banks of Cau River, also known as "the river of quan ho". Notably, the practice of quan ho singing also preserves many traditional cultural beauties, including the friend-making custom.

Quan ho artisans nurture special love for heritage

(BGO) – Owning hundreds of ancient Quan ho (love duet) melodies, the artisans in Viet Yen district (Bac Giang province) have devoted and passed their enthusiasm to the folk art as well as nurture the love for Quan ho to many generations, helping preserve the humanity heritage.

Quan ho singing festival to be kicked off on October 18 in Bac Giang province

(BGO) – According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the sixth Quan ho (Love duet) singing festival in Bac Giang province will be kicked off on October 18, 2020 in Bac Giang city (Bac Giang province) with the participation from 10 art troops in 10 districts, city and Quan ho Culture Association in Bac Giang province.

Duong Thi Hoai Thu with special passion for Quan ho folk song

(BGO) – I met Duong Thi Hoai Thu (born in 1970), an officer at the Center of Culture, Informaiton and Sport in Viet Yen district (Bac Giang province) in a severe hot day of July. Though she is in charge of directing 3 major programmes and contests, she took time to share about her career of long dedication.

The charm of Tam Tang ‘quan ho’ singing

(BGO) - People living along the two banks of the Cau River have long been aware that when playing ‘quan ho’ (love duet singing), they must understand thoroughly, play according to rules, and sing with their hearts to preserve the traditional identity. Tam Tang ‘quan ho’ village, Quang Chau commune, Viet Yen district (Bac Giang province) is one of the ‘quan ho’ villages that still retains the "fire" in maintaining that cultural activity in Kinh Bac (Northern) region.