Pham Thi Hue performs Ca tru with artisans Nguyen Thi Chuc (centre) and Nguyen Phu De.

Pham Thi Hue is the eldest daughter of the photographic artist, Hoa Huu. At 8, Hue took an entrance examination to the Hanoi Conservatory. Her teachers saw in her, besides her stunning beauty, a special talent in traditional music performance, so they sent her to study in the class on Ty ba (the 4-chord lute). In 1996, Hue graduated from the conservatory after 15 years of study, and since she has worked there as a teacher of Ty ba.

 

Hue recalled that what led her to study Ca tru was something special. In 2000, when walking on Bich Cau Street in Hanoi, she accidentally met Nguyen Thi Chuc, an old artisan who is very famous among Vietnamese Ca tru artists. That unexpected encounter changed Hue's professional life. From that day she became a disciple of Nguyen Thi Chuc. She was taught to play the musical instruments used in Ca tru by Nguyen Phu De, "the top-ranked musical performer from the North" as ranked by the artistic critics, and learnt traditional vocal technique from artisan Pho Thi Kim Duc, both who are highly respected Ca tru performers.

 

Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh (in black suit) and Ca tru artists at the First Ca tru Festival held in Hanoi. Pham Thi Hue stands next right to the Minister.

Ca Tru is an art that requires good, dedicated performers. Many artists don’t begin their stage performances until they are 17 or 18 years old, after studying this fine art since they were 5 or 6 years old. In the case of Hue, she began to learn Ca tru when she was almost 30 years old, “too late” as many people remark. But thanks to her great perseverance, along with her God given talent, she made quick progress. After three months of studying the techniques in performing Ca tru, including how to make a break while breathing and how to release words while singing, artisan Pho Thi Kim Duc told her: "You learnt Ca tru from me in three months while others take three years. Now I have nothing to teach you.”

 

Hue recalled that after studying for six years under the tutorship of renowned elder artisan Nguyen Thi Chuc, in June of 2006 she told her: "I'm now like a golden leaf on the tree which may fall down anytime. You have obtained the expertise of Ca tru performance, so it is time for you to show off your performing dress."

 

Hue was so overjoyed with those remarks that she burst into tears. It meant that her undeterred determination over more than six years of learning Ca tru had yielded a good fruit, i.e. she had become a true Ca tru performer. Artisan Chuc was also happy with her excellent disciple when saying: "Over the past 60 years, we - Ca tru performers - now have such a moving ceremony as this one to recognize Hue as a full member of our group."

 

The Ca tru class held by Pham Thi Hue attracts many young students.

Hue's opening ceremony "to show off her Ca tru performing dress" was held with the participation of many Ca tru artists and those who are interested in this art form, including Professor Tran Van Khe and Associate Professor Vu Nhat Thang. Hue performed some typical Ca tru songs, such as "An oath with the country" and "Song of the Ty ba lute", which were highly praised by the audience.

 

Hue established a Ca tru Club and named it after the old capital of Thang Long (present-day Hanoi) aimed at preserving the quintessence of this art form handed down from our forefathers. The Club is a venue for young artists to visit and learn Ca tru. Since its establishment, the Thang Long Ca tru Club has attracted many people who love this art form. Hue herself contributed in training a dozen young artists who can perform this art form pretty well. That initial success was a worthy reward for her after years of an untiring devotion to it.

 

Hue said she knows very well that this type of art form is meeting with many difficulties, however she still insists on following its path. "I have already chosen this profession, so I’ll go with it the rest of my life," she said. Faithful to her thought, over the past years she has been quietly working to preserve each verse of the old Ca tru songs of the past, like a silkworm diligently releasing silk.

 

Artist Pham Thi Hue

Looking at Hue's beautiful face, which is as brilliant as the full moon, and listening to her innermost feelings, I deeply appreciated the heartfelt desire of the artist grown up from the Ca tru cradle of Thang Long-Hanoi, i.e. to preserve and expand this traditional art form handed down by our forefathers, which is considered one of the national treasures. Her great endeavour to make this dream come true so far has been recognized.

 

More information:

 

Ca tru is also called Hat cua quyen (singing in royal palaces), Hat cua dinh (singing for religious rituals), Hat a dao (singing for entertainment), Hat nha tro (singing or dancing while pulling funny tricks) and Hat thuong (singing to be rewarded by the king or mandarins).

 

According to the ancient bibliographies, there are about 100 tunes of Ca tru, but today only 20-40 are performed. On October 1, 2009 Ca tru was recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of mankind that needs to be urgently protected.