Preserving Xam music

Xam music, usually performed by groups of blind people wandering along the streets of Hanoi, is being revived, performed and introduced to the public by the Vietnam Music Art Development Centre (VMADC).
Differing from Hat Van which is for religious beliefs and Ca Tru which is for the upper classes, Hat Xam represents street culture and is intended for the general public. That is why it has become a very popular form of music.
Hat Xam is a special traditional form of music in which each song conveys a complete story about the plight of the poor, the vices of former rulers and backwards customs.
Established in 2005, the VMADC under the Vietnam Musicians’ Association is responsible for collecting, conducting research, performing and teaching traditional folk music.
In order to bring the Hat Xam into the lives of Hanoians so that they may preserve and develop it, VMADC has organised weekly performances at the gate of Dong Xuan market on Saturday nights to entertain the capital’s citizens.
Although the shows do not start until 8pm, the ground are packed with people by 6pm. Many can even remember the names of the songs and artists. Audience’s passion for Hat Xam motivates the artists to devote themselves entirely to developing their performance skills.
In addition to giving free shows of Hat Xam to bring it closer to the public, famous artists and singers like people’s artist Xuan Hoach, meritorious artists Thanh Ngoan, Van Ty, Thuy Ngan and musician Hanh Nhan have spent much of their time to teaching the music to the young generation.
Currently, the VMADC is teaching Hat Xam to as many as 200 people, 85 percent of whom are young people and students from the Universities of Culture and Education, the Military College of Art and Culture, and the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema.
Musician Thao Giang said that although it costs a lot of money to preserve Hat Xam to teach it to the young, the result turn out to be less effective. In my opinion, once we can sow the seeds of Hat Xam among the young generation, they will continue to share their passion for that music as long as they can. However, the undertaking will require much devotion and hard work.
The domestic music scene is now influenced by too many kinds of music and it is no easy task to maintain the nation’s traditional music in general and Hat Xam in particular.
A talented learner
Musician Thao said the free Hat Xam classes were created at the requests of young people when he was giving performances on the walking streets. Many of the students have become well-known artists like Thu Phuong, Phuong Hao, Minh Hue, Minh Hien, Anh Tu, Minh Thong and Huu Duy.
One of the artists, Thu Phuong from Quang Ninh, has made a very good impression not only on audiences but also on other VMADC artists.
“When Thu Phuong first came here in 2008,” musician Thao Giang recalled, “the 23-year-old girl told us that she had left behind a good business in her home town to pursue her passion for traditional music.”
Although she came from a family with no one involved in the art world, the Quang Ninh girl has been crazy about traditional music since she was a little girl. Only a month after studying at VMADC did Phuong start to go on the stage and three months later become a VMADC official.
The young girl is now a teacher at the centre and following an intensive course at the Academy of Theatre and Cinema in order to provide herself with more knowledge.
To become a Xam artist, young people must not only have aptitude but also a passion for it. They must devote themselves fully to their career,” Phuong said.