Featuring carefully staged clips of songs with people acting out the lyrics, this YouTube channel showcases the beauty of traditional Vietnamese music. The popular clip “Tu Vi Ha Thanh” captures the essence of Hanoi’s delicacies, including pho and bun cha, with artful filming. It even features former US President Obama enjoying the latter dish at a restaurant in downtown Hanoi. Composer and researcher Nguyen Quang Long, along with composer Giang Son and researcher Mai Tuyet Hoa, have put a lot of time and effort into combining traditional melodies of xam with modern lyrics. The videos on the channel not only capture the beautiful songs but also help viewers understand the profound lyrics. Despite the challenges of producing these videos, the creator of the channel, Mai Đức Thiện, remains dedicated to preserving and sharing traditional music. With the support of music researcher Dang Hoanh Loan, there is hope that this fresh approach to reviving an ancient art will continue to attract younger audiences to traditional music.
Preserving Traditional Vocal Music Through YouTube
Xam Ha Thanh (Hanoi buskers’ singing group) has recently published various videos of traditional xam singing.
