Grandfather's Erhu and the Journey of Bringing Folk Music Through 100 Countries

Grandpa's Erhu and 100 Countries Passed Through

Ngo Hong Quang was born in 1983 in Hai Duong. Coming from a family with a grandfather who played the erhu, the sounds of folk music flowed in the male artist's soul since his childhood. That intense love continued to be nurtured during 11 years of studying traditional music at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music, where he had the opportunity to be exposed to many different types of Vietnamese folk music as well as diverse musical cultures around the world. These were important foundations that led him to the path of promoting Vietnamese folk music to the world.

Artist Ngo Hong Quang. Photo: NVCC

After 4 years of studying abroad at the Amsterdam Conservatory and the Royal Conservatory of Den Haag - Netherlands, Ngo Hong Quang graduated with honors. The artist has chosen the path of independent composition and performance, traveling around the world, bringing Vietnamese musical culture to the world and to the contemporary art environment. Ngo Hong Quang's diverse talents are expressed through his singing as well as his performance on monophonic and polyphonic instruments such as the two-stringed fiddle, monochord, k'ny, jew's harp, and tinh lute.

10 years ago, artist Ngo Hong Quang's artistic journey was mostly accompanied by friends in their forties and middle ages. But now, his passion and efforts have begun to reach more listeners, of more diverse ages and not limited by national borders. That is a good sign, because now his thoughts, feelings and creativity have the opportunity to reach the new generation, contributing to Vietnamese music and culture, creating a contemporary music environment rich in Vietnamese identity for the future.

"During my studies and work in European countries, I found myself useful and contributing to the promotion of the country's cultural image through music," Ngo Hong Quang shared. He added: "This is really worth doing and I always want to expand the direction to the next generation, especially young people who are also pursuing the same path as me."

Ngo Hong Quang debuts band Thien Thanh. Photo: NVCC

Talking to Dan Viet , Ngo Hong Quang shared: "For many years, I have traveled around the world to learn the quintessence of world music. Now is the time for me to bring what I have learned back to my homeland to spread and share."

Music researcher Nguyen Quang Long confided to Dan Viet that Ngo Hong Quang is a "rare gem" in the music industry as he composes, performs, and researches folk music. After the late Professor Tran Van Khe, musician Nguyen Le... Ngo Hong Quang has filled the gaps of Vietnamese folk music when reaching out to the world. He has made great contributions in researching and popularizing folk instruments to the public. He is also a folk instrument musician known to audiences in many countries. He not only loves folk music but also has a deep understanding of folk music, so he knows how to build his own path in art. His music balances popular music and academic music.

Over the years, Ngo Hong Quang has continued to work, compose and perform in both Vietnam and Europe. Wherever he goes, wherever he performs… he has continued to spread the beauty of traditional Vietnamese music to elite music lovers. According to Ngo Hong Quang’s memory, he has performed in nearly 100 different countries.

Most of the performances with Ngo Hong Quang's participation are held in theaters. In addition, he also participates in many music festivals and seminars to share about Vietnamese music culture. These cultural and artistic programs are often warmly welcomed by international audiences because of the spirit of cultural connection, contributing to beautifying the image of Vietnam to friends around the world.

Ngo Hong Quang founded the band Thien Thanh

After a long time working in the Netherlands, at the end of 2023, artist Ngo Hong Quang returned to Hanoi to experience more about the musical life in his homeland. He realized the lack of space (environment) for modern folk music artists to work, compose and perform. With the spirit of sharing and passing on his accumulated experience over many years, he came up with the idea of ​​establishing a folk band consisting of young people who are students or have just graduated to contribute to opening up a new folk music environment.

The members of the Thien Thanh band all have a special love for traditional musical instruments. Photo: NVCC

"Not long ago, I shared the idea of ​​forming a traditional band of young people with a friend at the Vietnam National Academy of Music. And more than 3 months ago, the Thien Thanh band was formed with all young people, the oldest being 30 years old. The members are all studying traditional musical instruments at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, including the following subjects: bamboo flute, monochord, pipa, zither, two-stringed fiddle, percussion... I didn't cast anything because I didn't want to eliminate anyone," said Ngo Hong Quang.

Explaining the name Thien Thanh, Ngo Hong Quang explained: Thien Thanh is the high-pitched tones imbued with the Vietnamese cultural and musical language, expressing the youthful freshness and vitality of a group of artists who love culture.

Thien Thanh consists of 9 members: Nguyen Mai Ngoc (36-string zither), Dam Thai Ha (pipa), Nguyen Dinh Duc (erhu), Trinh Nhat Minh (mono), Le Thanh Xuan (bamboo flute, flute), Pham Van Anh (moon lute, singing), Nguyen Minh Hieu (percussion), Chu Thuy Anh (zither), Nguyen Quoc Bao Khang (xam singing).

According to Ngo Hong Quang, the band was founded with the desire to elevate the value of traditional Vietnamese music with contemporary musical language and breath.

"Throughout my artistic career and the preservation of traditional music culture, I have always nurtured and nurtured a sincere love for Vietnamese music through creating and performing traditional musical instruments and works in my own unique way.

With the spirit of loving beauty, being open in creativity, and respecting indigenous cultural values, the group's consistent musical language will be a combination of traditional and modern musical elements; performing Vietnamese traditional musical instruments and folk music works as well as new compositions using old materials in a contemporary and international style.

Depending on the content of the music project, the group's performance forms are different and change in the types of musical instruments performed. There may be foreign works played with traditional musical instruments or performances using Western musical instruments to create cultural and musical resonance and exchange with countries around the world, but still imbued with traditional Vietnamese musical elements.

The band members will perform in the music night "Ve Kinh Bac". Photo: NVCC

Highlighting the rhythm in traditional music, each work that is re-arranged or newly composed using folk materials will be transformed not only in terms of harmony but also exploiting different rhythmic genres, creating a fresh, youthful, and diverse musical space, suitable for contemporary musical aesthetics," Ngo Hong Quang added.

At 8pm on April 27, at Hong Ha Theater (51 Duong Thanh, Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), Thien Thanh group will officially debut and perform in the special music night "Ve Kinh Bac". The show will feature a vocal ensemble in a new harmony, bringing the performance role of the instruments to a new level, highlighting the solo role, improvisation and personal creativity of the performing artist.

"Ve Kinh Bac" will be performed by Thien Thanh band with Beatboxer/New Media Artist Trung Bao and American Cellist Bryan Charles Wilson. They will join the group's performance to create a bridge of musical culture and excitement for the audience. These instruments and interactions will blend to create a Vietnamese music space that is indigenous, creative, and internationally diverse.

The show will feature 12 works including: Going to the festival (drum ensemble), The pretty bamboo tree (ensemble), Still having fate (ensemble and singing), Lung lieng (ensemble), Quyet chi tu than (xam singing), Se chi thong kim (ensemble), Tinh me (van singing), Sitting leaning on the boat's side (ensemble and singing), Muc ha vo nhan (xam singing), Beo dat may troi (ensemble with cello), Ivy (ensemble), Trong com (singing and ensemble).

These works were all re-arranged by Ngo Hong Quang in a new performance format, emphasizing the performance, rhythmic and improvisational ensemble of musical instruments with the spirit of preserving the quintessence of traditional music of the Northern Delta.

Source: https://danviet.vn/ngo-hong-quang-tieng-dan-nhi-cua-ong-noi-va-hanh-trinh-mang-am-nhac-dan-toc-di-qua-100-nuoc-20240416221127048.htm