People's Artist Tường Vi. Photo from the artist'ss fan page

HÀ NỘI People's Artist Tường Vi, a famous singer of revolutionary music has passed away at the age of 86, according to musician Đức Trịnh, Chairman of the Việt Nam Musicians Association.

Tường Vi who was born in 1938 in Tam Kỳ City, the central province of Quảng Nam, showed talent and passion for singing from a very young age but joined the army when she was 16 and later became a nurse at the Military Medical Institute.

She started her music career in 1956 at the General Political Department's Music and Dance Troupe where she studied vocal music.

She graduated from the Vocal Department of the Hà Nội Conservatory of Music (now the Việt Nam National Music Academy) in 1967 and then continued her studies at the Sofia Conservatory of Music, Bulgaria. Later, she worked as a lecturer at the Việt Nam National Music Academy.

During the war years, Tường Vi used to perform on the battlefields. She recorded various famous songs such as Tiếng đàn Ta Lư (The Sound of Ta Lư), Cô Gái Vót Chông (The Girl Sharpening Spikes),  Em là hoa Pơ Lang (I Am Pơ Lang Flower) and Người con gái sông La (Girl by La River). 

People's Artist Tường Vi (right) and children welcome General Võ Nguyên Giáp during a visit to the Centre for the Arts of Love. File photo vietnam.vn

In addition to performing, she also composed war songs, winning hearts with works including Phi Đội Ta Xuất Kích (Our Squadron Departs), Quê Hương Anh là Biển Cả (Homeland is The Sea) and Em Lắng Nghe Tiếng Đời (Listen to Sound of Life).

Musician Đức Trịnh said that People's Artist Tường Vi had made a great contribution to the Vietnamese music industry, both in performance and composition.

"She was a singer with an exceptionally excellent voice, a classic voice of revolutionary music and a vocal master... One of her songs, Our Squadron Departs has become a traditional song of the Việt Nam Air Force. She was also an artist with a kind heart who opened music classes for children in difficult circumstances and with disabilities," said Trịnh. 

In recognition of her contributions to the country as a composer and singer, she was awarded the title of Meritorious Artist in 1984 and the title of People's Artist in 1993.

She was one of the few artists honoured with an official mention in the Việt Nam Military Encyclopedia, published in 1996.

When she became too old to perform on stage, Tường Vi opened music classes for children from impoverished backgrounds and established a charity aimed at nurturing and training disabled and orphaned children in the arts. VNS