A village in northern Vietnam’s Nam Dinh Province has long been known for its villagers’ skills in playing and crafting the trumpet since the early 1900s.

In Pham Phao Village in Hai Hau District, the majority of villagers have followed Christianity since the early 20th century.

55-year-old Pham Thi Tin (left) proudly said that even the youngest members of her family join certain phases in crafting the trumpet.

The adoption of the religion was accompanied by the advent of the trumpet, which is also called the Western brass musical instrument.

A brass roll is bent at the artisans’ wish with their homemade hydraulic bending machine.

Locals play the trumpet in most of their ceremonies, including baptism, other important Christian observances, funerals, and farewell parties to conscripted youth before they serve in the army.

Pham Phao Village artisans can perform certain phases manually, such as bending a flat brass sheet into a trumpet in its initial form. They use their homemade hydraulic bending and lathing machines only for intricate details. 

All the churches in the area boast a trumpet troupe, which beautifully accompanies the choirs during church services.

Nguyen Duy Dong, one of Pham Phao Village’s famed trumpet crafting artisans

Boys who play the trumpet in the churches’ teams are a huge honor to their family and are greatly adored by girls.

Trumpet makers are supposed to know how to blow the instrument. Without proper musical knowledge and blowing skills, they can hardly craft a quality trumpet. 

With their immense passion for the trumpet, locals also learn to craft the instrument and have passed on their skills down to several generations.

One of Pham Phao Village’s teams of trumpet players at a festival

Their instruments, which boast high craftsmanship and fetch reasonable prices compared to foreign-made items, are well sought by trumpet aficionados from across Vietnam and also from other countries.

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