VietNamNet Bridge – Professor Tran Van Khe shares his opinion of the second Asian Zither Festival, which was held in HCM City early last month, drawing 29 musicians from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Viet Nam.

Professor Tran Van Khe.

Another group from China is very young and talented. The Japanese group included both old and young artists. I saw a harmonious combination of preserving the traditional arts and developing them from the Japanese artists. I’m really impressed by a 70-year-old Japanese professor who can perform both traditional and modern music pieces.

I think that this combination is wonderful and it proves that there’s no generation gap as well as no dispute between the past and present.

You just mentioned an interesting issue, preserving traditional music, or changing traditions to suit a more modern life. Do you think it necessary for young musicians to inherit musical traditions from the older generation in order to develop?

There are older artists to preserve traditional art, and young artists sometimes return to their traditions, so we have traditional resources although we don’t depend on them, they are not mutually exclusive. Musical development is personal and rooted in tradition. If the artists keep their musical roots they will create new traditions in the future.

What about the Vietnamese artists at the festival, have they improved?

The Vietnamese artists performed well. They performed traditional Vietnamese masterpieces Xang Xe and Long Ngam. Performing on stage, they showed Vietnamese styles and tastes.

It can be said the festival was successful, how can we follow up on this success?

There were many young people at the festival, I’m glad of that, it stimulates the artists. There’s an invisible link between the artist and the audience. If we don’t continue to hold festivals and performances, the invisible link will be cut.

Besides, it is necessary to invite traditional music experts to introduce the pieces to the audience, when they understand the music they enjoy it more.

Vietnamese listeners’ knowledge of traditional music is limited. What can we do?

The artists were trained. It’s time to train listeners. Most of our listeners don’t have access to music because music is not a major subject at school. Music doesn’t appear much in daily life.

Financing and a development strategy are very important in order for the artists to work effectively and respect tradition, the artists have to know they are preserving our national heritage.

I have been looking for students in recent years, but most young people like rock and hip-hop, but how can they be better than foreigners?

International friends come to Viet Nam, they learn to sing folk songs, while many Vietnamese cannot, it’s shameful.

The festival has been successful in waking up young Vietnamese people’s hearts to traditional music. I’m very glad but also worried because this time is very important. If we don’t continue what we have will be difficult to start again.

(Source: Viet Nam News)