Teacher Han Thanh Ha (Photo: Han Thanh Ha)

Ha said: “Traditional music always carries a unique strength. I see my students, each with their own circumstances, their own character, but when they sit down with the instrument, they all choose pieces that evoke love for the homeland. After April 30, the number of learners increased a lot; almost every class had new registrations. I think that’s a beautiful sign.”

Ha has been teaching the Dan Tranh for more than two decades. She describes the instrument as “gentle on the surface, yet capable of extraordinary power.” 

“Normally, students might ask to learn pop songs, love ballads, or even foreign music. But these days, almost everyone wants to play songs about the homeland. It feels like a small wave of patriotism expressed through music,” Ha added.  

Students of Han Thanh Ha’s dan tranh class perform a patriotic piece. (Photo: Han Thanh Ha)

Among the many students in Ha’s class, Quang Anh stands out. Once the drummer of a rock band, his friends remember him chasing the wild rush of drum solos and high-volume riffs. Now, he sits quietly with a Dan Tranh on his lap, his hands moving carefully across the strings. Beside him, teacher Ha offers guidance as he experiments with blending the zither and drums in one piece. The unusual combination makes the classroom buzz with curiosity.

Quang Anh said: “I used to only love drums and rock music. I never imagined myself playing the Dan Tranh. Honestly, I thought it was an instrument meant more for women. But after seeing clips online of traditional instruments being played in creative ways, I realized the Dan Tranh could take on many styles, so I decided to give it a try. When I practiced the song “Vietnam Oi,” I experimented by combining strings with percussion instrument. The result surprised me. The zither’s rustic sound, blended with the drums, became incredibly powerful. To me, it’s a fresh way of expressing love for the homeland through music.”

Teacher Ha and her students performing a patriotic melody on the Dan Tranh. (Photo: Han Thanh Ha)

Another student is Phuong Thao, a young girl whose journey to the Dan Tranh carries a story beyond music. Currently studying in Germany, she has returned home for only a short visit. Yet instead of treating this time as a holiday, she chose to spend it reconnecting with her roots through a traditional musical instrument.

“Even though I’m studying in Germany, whenever I return to Vietnam, I look for ways to reconnect with my roots. This year, my visit happens to fall on National Day, and I thought: what better way to celebrate than to learn the Dan Tranh and play a piece about love for the homeland? To me, that’s the most meaningful gift I can dedicate to my country. Abroad, my friends are curious about Vietnamese traditional music, but they rarely get to hear it. That’s why I want to record my performance on the Dan Tranh and share it with them. Its unique sound carries the soul of Vietnam, and that makes me deeply proud,” said Phuong Thao 

Phuong Thao’s story carries the voice of a young generation reaching outward, eager to share Vietnamese culture with the world. Yet in the same classroom, the Dan Tranh also becomes a companion for another kind of journey, one that turns inward, toward family and the quiet anticipation of new life.

As the country prepares for National Day, Minh Trang awaits the birth of her child, whom she hopes will grow up with a mother’s love and a love for the homeland. (Photo: Minh Trang)

For Minh Trang, now seven months pregnant, every note is like a lullaby taking shape. As the country prepares for National Day, she awaits her own celebration, the birth of her child, whom she hopes will grow up with a mother’s love and a love for the homeland. 

“Right now, I’m expecting a baby. I just want to do something truly memorable, not only for myself but for my baby as well. Later, I want to be able to tell my child: “Just before you were born, your mother learned the Dan Tranh and played a song about the homeland and the joy of independence.” My hope is that when my child grows up, she will feel that love for our country is already with her—in the gentle melodies she first heard from within my womb,” said Minh Trang. 

If Minh Trang’s story is about nurturing a love for the homeland even before her baby is born, then for another mother in Hanoi, that love continues to take shape in the moments she shares with her child. 

Viet Nga is a book editor and mother of one. She has been familiar with the instrument for years. This September 2 holiday, she decided to turn her own passion into a family experience, inviting her son to learn alongside her. For Nga, the idea was not simply to celebrate the National Day with music, but to create a gift of memory, something her son could carry with him long after the holiday is over.

“For this year’s September 2 holiday, I chose to learn the Dan Tranh together with my son, hoping it would become a meaningful memory for us both. That way, he can grow a sense of national pride and love for our cultural heritage. Sharing this hobby also gives us more time together. At first, my son found it a bit difficult, his hands would ache, and he felt discouraged. But little by little, he began to enjoy practicing and now makes time every day to play. I hope we can continue learning regularly, not only to relax and build a skill, but also to connect, to share, and to keep beautiful family memories alive,” Viet Nga said.

Nga’s son, once hesitant, now confident when he talks about learning the Dan Tranh with his mother. He said: “At the beginning, it was quite hard. But after practicing for a while, I started to enjoy it. Every time I can finish a song, I feel excited. Learning with my mom makes me happy, like we share a little secret together. I hope that before September 2, I can finish learning songs like “Around Vietnam” or “Keep writing the story of peace,” so that my mom and I can perform together.”

A student of Teacher Ha films a patriotic song on the Dan Tranh to preserve memories. (Photo: Han Thanh Ha)

Not all students are drawn to the Dan Tranh solely for personal reflection, family bonding, or the quiet joy of mastering an instrument. For some, it offers a way to connect with others while celebrating their shared love for the country. Among them is Dinh Mai Huong, a businesswoman and manager of an interior design company in Hanoi. Huong and her colleagues chose learning the Dan Tranh together and performing patriotic songs for a tangible sense of unity and pride.

“Normally, we do the usual team-building activities to help everyone connect. But this time, I thought, why not try something different, something more meaningful? That’s why we decided to learn the Dan Tranh and perform patriotic songs for September 2, our national holiday. It was truly special. For me, it was a beautiful reminder that, no matter how busy life gets, we can still find time to connect with our roots and our country through music. Honestly, that feeling, that sense of spirit, is something no other team-building activity could ever give us,” said Mai Huong

A young student performs a patriotic piece on the Dan Tranh. (Photo: Han Thanh Ha)

Each of them - Quang Anh, a rock lover discovering the Dan Tranh’s unexpected power; Phuong Thao, the Vietnamese student from Germany eager to share her culture with the world; Minh Trang, gently threading love for her homeland into lullabies for her unborn child; Mai Huong, sharing music and pride with her colleagues; and Viet Nga and her son, discovering joy and closeness through shared practice—came to the Dan Tranh for different reasons.

Dan Tranh teacher Han Thanh Ha told us: “What makes this class truly special isn’t whether every note is perfect or every technique flawless. It’s that each note carries care, attention, and love. Love for the country doesn’t always roar; sometimes it whispers. It begins in small ways: a melody played with attention, and a daily practice repeated with devotion. And when all these small, heartfelt moments come together, they bloom into something far greater: a love for the homeland.”

In that classroom, the Dan Tranh is more than an instrument. It becomes a witness to personal stories and a reminder that love for the homeland can take many forms, sometimes bold and loud, sometimes tender and gentle, but always true, always alive, and always growing from the hearts of those who play.