In the last 3 consecutive years (2004,2005 and 2006), Binh Dinh music branch won prizes awarded by Vietnam National Music Association. Is this a good sign of change among Binh Dinh music composers?

* New positive signs of development

Winning songs include “The see-saw” and “Yo-heave-ho” which were composed by Duong Viet Hoa and won the 3^rd prizes in 2004, classical instrumental symphony “Kon River Wharf” which was composed by Nguyen Gia Thien and won the 3^rd prize in 2005, “Singing from Phuong Mai Peninsula” which was composed by Vu Trung and won consolation prize in 2006. A children’s song “Bright age of teenagers” and a dancing song “Princess Huyen Tran” composed by Duong Viet Hoa also won prizes in 2006 music contests held by Vietnam National Music Association and Vietnam Dancer Association. Given existing monotonous music life in local provinces which have few chances to emerge and show themselves, necessary and uninterrupted participation of Binh Dinh music branch during the last 3 years is worth to mention in spite of its humble success.

Besides Chau Duc Khanh, Vu Trung is good at topical music for large quantity of common audiences. He has composed many winning songs in national contests on particular set subjects by particular governmental bodies or organizations. Knowing “Song about Binh Dinh” and many other songs about Vietnamese public police and military composed by him, I find no wonder to hear the winning result of his new song “Singing from Phuong Mai Peninsula” whose melodies are on basis of Centre Vietnam and Binh Dinh folk songs. It can probably be considered a great and hearty love of the musician toward Binh Dinh Province.

Although Nguyen Gia Thien has written many kinds of songs, he is prominently good at instrumental music and background music for traditional performance arts in which he is now specializing. He has composed many songs not only for Dao Tan Tuong troop where he is now working. With his music work “Kon River Wharf”, it is the first time Binh Dinh has won prize in realm of instrumental music. The work has 3 parts. The prelude employs gentle rhythms and melodies of Centre Vietnam lyrical folk songs which usually praise natural beauty of romantic moonlight and peaceful land of water. The second part has boisterous rhythms to depict animated environment of martial arts rehearsals under the moonlight. The symphony ends with soft tunes of Tuong chant, a kind of Vietnamese opera. Representing its songwriter’s full blooming talent, “Kon River Wharf” is worth to be an undoubted success of Nguyen Gia Thien.

Duong Viet Hoa proves to be a musician of versatile talent. His two children’s songs “The see-saw” and “Bright age of teenagers” describe naïve and carefree psychology of the young children and the youth with animated rhythms. “Yo-heave-ho” has very soft melodies because of its clever adaptation of  Quang Binh province’s folk songs, particularly Le Thuy chanteys. So does the “Princess Huyen Tran”, the only among 12 dancing music works reaches the final round of the 2006 music contests. Some of Duong Viet Hoa’s instrumental music works are chosen to be models in textbooks by certain national music colleges. The son of a musician is now partly showing his new capability of creation.

* Fame nationwide. When?

Frankly speaking, in spite of its achievement, music in Binh Dinh has been only known by local people during the last decades. Most of the music works have been performed in limited topical music contests organized by certain governmental bodies or mass organizations. Some of them are broadcasted on just local mass media. There has been no “representative song of Binh Dinh Province” in the truest sense of the words since a noisy contest of music composition promotion was held many years ago. Ironically, Binh Dinh has no lack of famous talented musicians such as Tran Long An, Nguyen Van Hien, La Huu Vang, Nguyen Nhuoc Phap, etc. Hence, decisive key of success is not actually finance and favourable conditions for creation but after all talent. The musicians are heavily indebted to this life of human beings until they successfully create memorable works of music reflecting lively breaths of the real life.

The above-mentioned prizes are just humble proofs of recognition. Are the Binh Dinh musicians competent and determined enough to go beyond the provincial boundary? Music lovers are still waiting for such of their leaps.

• Written by Le Hoai Luong
• Translated by To Uyen