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On September 27-28, Hanoi Museum became a meeting place for heritage lovers, where traditional music is no longer a luxury memory but is alive in today's life. Without the need for a fancy stage, the performances took place in a space that was simply arranged but just loud enough. The deep bass sound of the zither, the steady clapper, the long singing of the female singers and the male singers created a rhythm that was both solemn and intimate, making the audience listen attentively to each sound and rhythm.
Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club performed four pieces, giving the audience a direct experience of traditional quintessence: Hat Giai, Hat Lu, Sam Hue Tinh, Hat Noi Anh Gia Diec, Goi Hac, Chi Nam Nhi by Nguyen Cong Tru
In front of each theater troupe is a jar containing salary cards. Ms. Thanh Thuy, Director of the Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club, said that in the past, singers lived on 'salary cards' - the audience placed cards to reward the female singers and the actors, and the number counted was the number of performances that night.
“As an artist, I am always curious about old things. Listening to Ca Tru live, I find it very delicate – just one clapper sound is enough to evoke a feeling of touching some memory that I cannot name” – Ms. Dan Phuong (1996), actress, shared after the opening ceremony.
Ms. Dan Phuong (in white shirt) and her friends took a photo with Ms. Thanh Thuy, Head of Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club, at the 2025 Hanoi Ca Tru Festival
The 4th Hanoi Ca Tru Festival, organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, gathered 21 clubs, 105 individual contestants and 16 group performances. Not only a competition, the festival is also an opportunity for exchange between generations of artisans - where young people learn from the masters, and the elderly see that the heritage is still respected and continued.
Experienced artisans still keep the rhythm, pass on the passion and guide the younger generation, demonstrating the enduring continuity of ca tru.
Hanoi is considered the heart of Vietnamese ca tru for a reason. The city currently has the largest number of artists with titles in the country, and is proposing that the State consider conferring 8 more People's Artists and 23 Meritorious Artists in this field. From preservation policies to supporting regularly operating clubs, Hanoi is making ca tru a part of community life, not just a memory in museums.
Young people come to watch and admire Ca Tru, and interact with Ms. Thanh Thuy (3rd from left), Head of Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club
Ms. Thanh Thuy, Head of the Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club, shared: "We want Ca Tru not to stand outside of life, but to blend in with today's life. Each performance, each beat is our way of sending back to the audience a part of traditional quintessence, so that they can hear and feel it directly, not just through listening and watching from afar."
The presence of many young clubs has brought a new breeze to the performance space - where heritage is renewed with the breath of the times, while still maintaining the traditional "essence" in the methodical structure, rhythm, and spirit.
The final classic ca tru concert: Hat Noi Do Gui Thu, Dung Huynh Noi Huynh - the performance of the independent contestant, made the whole hall excited to the beat
The festival is also a bridge between the ancient rhythm keepers and today's audience. From the sound of the strings and clappers, the audience can feel the echoes of a heritage being passed down, where each note and each beat contains the quintessence of a thousand-year-old culture. And in the increasingly noisy urban space, there are still people quietly "beating the rhythm to keep the soul", so that ca tru is not only a memory, but a part of the breath of modern Hanoi.
The 4th Hanoi Ca Tru Festival in 2025 is a living proof that heritage can go hand in hand with contemporary life, where culture is not outside of life but is heard, seen, felt and loved. The sound of the Dan Day (stone instrument), the clappers and the singing voices of today's singers are a bridge, bringing the past to the present, and opening up opportunities for the younger generation to receive, appreciate and continue to pass on a thousand-year heritage of the Capital.
