Connecting the Vietnam-Mongolia Friendship via Music

Ambassador Doan Khanh Tam Thi Pham plays T'rung in front of teachers and students at school. Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Mongolia

On the occasion of the beginning of the new school year 2022-2023, a delegation of the Vietnamese Embassy in Mongolia led by Ambassador Doan Khanh Tam visited the experimental school No.14 named after President Ho Chi Minh and presented two dan T'rung (bamboo xylophone) - that teachers and students here love and always want to put in the curriculum.

T’rung is one of the common musical instruments closely connected with the spiritual life of ethnic minority peoples in Central Highlands of Vietnam. The instrument consists of several parallel bamboo pipes, one head is closed, the other is crossed.

When performing, the artist uses two bamboo or wooden bats to tap on the pipes. In the past, locals play T’rung for entertainment after hard-working days or prevent the crops from wild animals. At present, T’rung becomes famous worldwide because of its exciting melodies like the “breath” of pristine nature.

In the eagerly-awaited atmosphere of teachers and students, Ambassador Doan Khanh Tam proudly introduced the T'rung instrument of the people of the Central Highlands. This is a musical instrument in the vast treasure of ethnic musical instruments of the Vietnamese people, from the historical, cultural, spiritual and sacred meaning of the lute to the birth, playing, structure and manufacturing method, creating and preserving an interesting instrument in front of teachers and students of the chool.

Immediately after instructing how to assemble, although not professional, Ambassador Doan Khanh Tam showed and performed, making the teachers and students feel very interesting and attracted by the special sound of the T'rung.

Principal E.Gungaajav expressed his happiness at the opportunity to admire the instrument with his own eyes and feel a musical instrument whose sound sounds like the sound of water murmuring in a clear stream. "The sound is clear, joyful and gives listeners a rare peace and joy!”

Conductor Dong Quang Vinh and some members of Suc Song Moi Bamboo Ensemble take souvenir photo with Ambassador Doan Khanh Tam and his wife. Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Mongolia

Teachers and students lined up to have the opportunity to play T'rung firsthand, many of them volunteered to be T'rung players in the school's student band.

Sincere thanks to the ambassador, the principal said that this is a vivid and practical proof, a beautiful bridge between the two cultures, people and especially the young generation of the two countries.

He promised to preserve and preserve the two guitars carefully, and at the same time hoped the embassy would continue to pay attention to and support the collection of some other traditional Vietnamese musical instruments.

The principal also wished that the embassy would help the school display and establish a band that can both play T'rung and perform with Ao Dai and can be combined with the morin khuur which is the national instrument in Mongolia. It will be the melody of friendship, peace, interference of the two cultures of Vietnam and Mongolia resounding in the green steppe country.

Two Vietnamese bamboo musical instruments are being display at the Ho Chi Minh Traditional Room at the experimental school No.14.

Music performance by Suc Song Moi Bamboo Ensemble in Ulaanbaatar. Source: baoquocte.vn

These two T'rung were presented to the school by conductor Dong Quang Vinh and Suc Song Moi Bamboo Ensemble after a performance in Mongolia on the occasion of the 77th Anniversary of Vietnam's National Day by the Vietnamese Embassy in Mongolia.

Being talented both in conducting an orchestra and playing both eastern and western musical instruments skilfully, young conductor born in 1984, has been called a “messenger,” connecting Vietnamese and world music.

Aspired to bring national music to the world and make academic music closer to the Vietnamese public, Vinh formed the orchestra “Suc song moi” (New Vitality), the only orchestra playing symphony music using the bamboo musical instruments of Vietnam.

Ambassador Doan Khanh Tam speaks at the opening ceremony of the new school year at the School No. 14 named after President Ho Chi Minh. Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Mongolia

Previously, Ambassador Doan Khanh Tam jhad attended and delivered a congratulatory speech to teachers and students of the School 14 on the occasion of the opening ceremony of the new school year on September 1.

The school No.14 is one of the first high schools in Ulan Bator. On the occasion of the 90th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, on May 14th, 1980, the Central Committee of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party issued a decision to allow school No.14 to be named President Ho Chi Minh. Many senior Mongolian leaders have grown up in this school.

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