Wholehearted dedication to common work

As an art lover since early childhood, after graduating from the music educational falculty at the Bac Giang Vocational School for Culture, Sport and Tourism in 2001, the girl born in Minh Duc commune, Viet Yen district was employed to work at Dong Lo Primary School (Hiep Hoa district) then Quang Minh Primary School.

Duong Thi Hoai Thu.

In 2009, she was transferred to teach at Bich Dong Town Primary School (Viet Yen district). Since 2017, Thu has worked at the district Center of Culture, Information and Sport.

She has followed teaching career for 16 years when she wholeheartedly dedicates to the art movement of the educational sector as the Head of Art Troop of the district Division of Education and Training.

With the hope to inspire the passion and love for Quan ho (Love duet folk singing) to the young generation, as a charm in 2008, Director of Bagico Joint Stock Company Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuc and Hoai Thu jointly established Bagico Quan ho Club which is the shared house to gather and teach Quan ho performance to children in the district and adjacent localities for free.

As the Club chairwoman, Thu directly teaches the students the way to perform the folk songs, actively persuades the female and male singers in the villages to support them in the art aspect. Most of the club members are students at the primary and secondary schools.

Under the foster of Thu and other artists for over 10 years, many children now become students and lecturers in the folk art field with high prizes at the folk singing contest while others follow professional art career to further inspire the special passion for Quan ho to the future generation.

“Contributing honey to the life”

At the major art contest and festival, Viet Yen district always shows unique Quan ho performance, wins high prizes and creates good impression to the audience.

Duong Thi Hoai Thu instructs the member of the Folk Culture Club in Viet Yen district to perform Quan ho.

In 2019, the Vietnam Record Organization granted the title of “The Quan ho teaching programme to children for the longest consecutive years” to Viet Yen district People’s Committee and Bagico JSC which was gained thanks to the great contribution of Duong Thi Hoai Thu.

Since Bagico handed over the Club of Quan ho teaching to the district Center of Culture, Information and Sport in 2018, Thu has been assigned to in charge of its operation with new name of Folk Culture Club in Viet Yen district. The Club has lured both adults and children with various types of folk arts such as Quan ho, Cheo (traditional opera) and Ca tru (ceremonial singing).

Though she teaches students for frees with regular exchange, discussion and professional trips without any allowance, Thu has less time for her own family, the special love for art field has never been reduced.

Just like the bee contributing honey to the life, when being granted with the Certificate of Merits by the Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, Thu modestly shared that it is the effort of the whole organization, colleagues, friends, collaborators, children and their parents who accompany her for days and years.

What make she feel deeply sympathy after dozens of years working in this field is to inspire the love for Quan ho to several children, attache the operation of many Quan ho villages and clubs, motivate the singing movement and party help preserve, widespread the value of the precious heritage.

Falling in love with ‘quan ho’ songs

(BGO) - Previously, I often heard ‘quan ho (love duet singing) Bac Ninh’ and now I know ‘quan ho Bac Giang’. A question was raised in my mind: “Whether we should call it ‘quan ho Kinh Bac’ and it will be more accurate. The ‘quan ho Kinh Bac’ is full of love and romance. It seems to be a game lasting from generation to generation and never stopping.

Bac Ninh preserves, develops Quan Ho folk songs

Bac Ninh has made efforts to preserve the art of Quan Ho love duet singing to implement commitments to UNESCO on conservation and development of the folk art, which has been recognised by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

Teaching Cheo and Quan ho singing to art talents

(BGO) – The Center of Culture and Cinema in Bac Giang province joined hand with the Center of Culture, Information and Sports of Bac Giang city and Dinh Tri commune to organize two week course to teach Cheo (traditional opera) and Quan ho (Love duet) singing to the grass root art talents, which closed recently. 

Art troop in Bac Giang province performs Quan ho folk song in Japan

(BGO) – The Vietnam Embassy in Japan coordinated with the Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO Affairs Department, non-governmental organization World Heritage Institute of Japan to organize “Vietnam Culture and Tourism Seminar" in Tokyo.

Ancient ‘quan ho’ (love duet) of Dinh Ca village

(BGO) - In Dinh Ca village, Quang Minh commune (Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province), many generations of local people are passionate about singing ‘quan ho’ (love duet) folk songs. Happily, the village’s ‘quan ho’ club has many members who are old but still enthusiastic, quietly transmitting the folk songs to young people.

Cong Doanh