HÀ NỘI — Traditional, jazz and string musicians will perform together at a concert at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music (VNAM)’s main hall on December 19. 

The one-night concert entitled Dân Gian Trên Jazz/ Dân Gian Trên Dây (Folk on Jazz/Folk on Strings) will feature veteran and talented musicians such as tuồng (traditional opera) performers Nguyễn Ngọc Khánh and Nguyễn Văn Quý, cải lương (reformed theatre) artist Đào Văn Trung and đàn môi (jew’s harp) player Nguyễn Đức Minh. 

The concert’s art director is jazz artist Quyền Thiện Đắc. 

“This is a chance for me to experiment with a new combination which will be a fusion of folk, jazz and symphony,” said Đắc. 

“The concert puts me in a new position as a sound arranger. I’m an outsider to observe, listen to and co-ordinate the musicians.

“It also helps me to have better music thought and encourages me to work with folk music.”

Đắc is a leading jazz artist in Việt Nam. He got a scholarship to study jazz at Berklee College of Music in Boston, the US and earned his MA from Malmo College of Music in Sweden. 

The musicians will play new compositions based on tuồng, cải lương and folk melodies featuring the colourful sounds of Vietnamese music. 

Tuồng musician Khánh will play kèn bóp (double-reeded horn) with jazz and string musicians. 

“This is the first time I have performed in such a concert and I’m trying my best for the concert,” said Khánh. 

Khánh is a veteran musician who has played kèn bóp for nearly 50 years and has performed in Việt Nam and abroad.

At the concert, the audience will have the chance to enjoy a performance by jew’s harp performer Đức Minh. He will also play the traditional flute of the Thái and Mường ethnic groups. 

“I want to introduce the instruments to the audience at the concert,” said Minh. “Their sound is amazing which has typical characteristics of the land and the people of the area.”

Minh is Việt Nam’s only professional jew’s harpist. He won the title of Best Jew’s Harpist at an international festival in the Netherlands in 2006. He has also toured Sweden, France and Spain.

The concert will begin at 8pm at 77 Hào Nam Street. Ticket are sold from VNĐ400,000 to 1,000,000 (US$17 – 40). Ticket hotline: 038 946 4820, free delivery in Hà Nội. — VNS

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