Unique traditional culture in professional art program

Not only appearing on local stages or in public cultural activities, Over the years, folk songs, ethnic musical instruments, and original costumes typical of ethnic groups in the province have been skillfully included in professional art programs by musicians and choreographers of the Provincial Culture and Arts Center.

The lion cat dance performance performed in the opening of the 2024 Spring Blossom Festival

The opening performance of the 2024 Spring Blossom Festival held on the evening of February 1 had a notable highlight of professional art performances imbued with the traditional cultural identities of ethnic groups in the province. In the nearly 60-minute long art performance, folk songs such as sli and then singing are presented in a new way on the big stage; Traditional costumes of the Tay, Nung, Dao ethnic groups… were used by singers and actors in segments of the program and the lion cat dance left a deep impression on the people and tourists.

Ms. Hoang Kim Chi, Dong Anh district, Hanoi city said: I have watched many big art programs, but the opening program of the 2024 Peach Blossom Festival in Lang Son city really impressed me. In addition to the performances of guest singers, the performances were filled with the unique colors of Lang Son’s ethnic groups, especially for the first time I enjoyed a very unique lion and cat dance.

Not only the above performance, in recent years, the inclusion of traditional folk cultural materials of ethnic groups in the building of professional art performances and performances has received special attention from the Provincial Culture and Arts Center. Mr. Phung Van Muon, Deputy Director of the Provincial Culture and Arts Center said: We regularly encourage musicians and choreographers to proactively exploit and collect folk songs and folk dances in the community to build performances and programs with the unique colors of the ethnic groups in the province. At the same time, coordinate with artisans to organize training for singers and actors in the unit on performing traditional cultural and artistic forms.

Accordingly, even in the process of composing, harmonizing and arranging, musicians and choreographers always focus on integrating the songs of Then, Sli, Luon, Pao Dung… and use musical instruments, rhythms, and typical ethnic dances into the performance.

Musician Dinh Quang Trung, Provincial Center for Culture and Arts said: Most of the works I wrote are developments of traditional folk songs of ethnic groups in the province. I want to create my own, unique, characteristic color of Lang Son art in each work. In 202, I have revised, improved, and composed 6 new performances using folk culture materials.

In 2023, the Provincial Culture and Arts Center has built 10 new performances and revised and improved 5 performances. Of these, over 80% of the performances have folk materials and national colors. At the same time, editing and staging 25 art programs with many performances using folk cultural materials to serve the province’s political tasks and serve the grassroots. Simultaneously, the unit also organized 120 performances to serve political tasks and events of the province, industries, localities and remote areas (exceeding 9% of the assigned plan).

Not only does it create attraction in performance programs for events, performances with national materials also contribute to bringing home awards for the province’s professional arts. Mr. Truong Xuan Tu, musician of the Provincial Culture and Arts Center said: I am a musician who often uses traditional musical instruments. In June 2023, I participated in the ensemble performance “Hùng thiêng Xứ Lạng” at the national traditional musical instrument solo and ensemble competition, the performance uses pentatonic music with the colors of Lang Son’s folk songs, with traditional musical instruments such as drums, bars, bamboo flutes, pi le trumpets, gourde lute, etc. The inclusion of folk materials in the performance created a unique regional character, thanks to which the performance won second prize at the competition.

Besides, in 2023, the Cultural Center also participated and won the silver medal for the entire group at the 2023 Revolutionary Song Mass Art Festival in Vinh Phuc province.

It can be seen that the interest in using folk materials with unique characteristics of ethnic groups in the province has created professional art programs of high quality, while still ensuring intimacy, simplicity, suitable for people of all ethnic groups in the province. Thereby, contributing to preserving, preserving and promoting the traditional culture of ethnic groups in the province to domestic and international friends.