Save Song – Ca Trù music center design challenge

Save Song – Ca Trù music center design challenge

MUSIC, A CULTURAL TOOL OF COMMUNICATION

Music, a form of expression that has been used over millennia to communicate, document and personalize our lives, has taken many forms today and evolved into bigger things. One of those bigger things is music as a tradition. Being a historical niche form of tradition, slowly fading into oblivion in the background, music has played an important role in maintaining various cultural identities of both communities and individuals. It is true when music is said to be an efficient communicating tool, especially in terms of traditions it propagates through ages.

Musical traditions across the world have traversed cultural and social obstacles to survive to this day. While some of them have already been erased from society due to no propagation, and some of them thrive to live and popularise themselves, there are some that are dwindling on the brink of extinction and require revival.

Traditional music needs to be protected as they speak of how humans as society progressed through the ages. How can we revive the position of traditional music in contemporary society?

MUSICAL IDENTITY OF VIETNAM: CA TRÙ

Ca trù is a complex traditional musical culture that has been earmarked by UNESCO, as in need of urgent support for survival and propagation. This music is part of the intangible heritage of Vietnam, representative of the culture, skills and practice of locals through several generations.

Ca trù is a sophisticated chamber music tradition of northern Vietnam that was perfected over centuries but took a hit due to the diminishing number and age of practitioners. This form of music was used as a way to fulfil social purposes such as celebrations and worship. As the knowledge of this poetry is transmitted from generation to generation, there is the constant reinvigoration of this form as it interacts with its surroundings and this helps in creating an identity and sense of continuity, strengthening the community relations and cultural diversity.

The practice is propagated in society with verbal teachings by skilled members during communal activities or performances for local events. But the message of preservation can be amplified with the provision of a dedicated centre to exhibit the value of this cultural tradition.