The special event was hosted by the US Embassy in Hanoi, welcoming more than 100 live audiences at the American Center Hanoi and thousands of online viewers.
In his opening speech, the Spokesperson of the US Embassy Cameron Thomas-Shah stressed the importance of celebrating the strong development of people-to-people ties on the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership.
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| Spokesperson of the US Embassy Cameron Thomas-Shah spoke at the show (Photo: Nhung Nguyen) |
"The 10th-anniversary culture show celebrates the US - Vietnam's Comprehensive partner. We gather not only to mark this milestone but also to embrace the power of exchange and collaboration. I want to thank more than 130 working professionals from various government offices, academic institutions, businesses, healthcare, the media, and students. Thanks to your diverse experiences and perspectives, there will be an enriching dialogue that will be produced from tonight’s show,” said the American diplomat.
The concert, entitled "10th Anniversary Culture Show'', featured main acts from American cellist Bryan Charles Wilson and Vietnamese artists Ngo Tra My, an esteemed Dan Bau (monochord) teacher and soloist, Pham Tra My, a lecturer of zither performance at Vietnam National Academy of Music, and Tri Minh, a contemporary sound artist.
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| From left to right: Artist Tri Minh, cellist Bryan Charles Wilson, zither performer Pham Tra My, monochord performer Ngo Tra My (Photo: Nhung Nguyen). |
In the first part, cellist Bryan Wilson performed many pieces from his albums. They are his original creations in which he reinterprets Vietnamese music on his cello. The audience also enjoyed zither performer Pham Tra My, monochord performer Ngo Tra My and sound artist Tri Minh joined the American cellist in duets, quartets. The audiences enjoyed an emotional journey where the quarter recreated Vietnamese classic songs such as Mua Xuan Dau Tien, Tinh Ca Tay Bac and Long Me.
This unique fusion transcends national borders as artists come together to tell stories through music, blending the captivating sounds of traditional instruments with the catchy melodies of electronic elements. During the artist talk, American cellist Bryan Wilson showed his gratitude for his quarter with Vietnam's top musicians who joined him to create an emotional and uplifting musical journey.
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| (Photo: Nhung Nguyen) |
“I love Vietnamese traditional music. What I’m really trying to do is merge my own vision and artistic flow with the ancient tradition. I don’t want to limit it by just playing something purely traditional, but to expand upon it, create something new, and foster a collaboration that brings people together,” said Wilson.
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| (Photo: Nhung Nguyen) |
The 10th Anniversary Culture Show also featured the performance of the diplomats of the US Embassy in Vietnam and Vietnamese young independent musicians.
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| (Photo: Nhung Nguyen) |
Catherine Blunt and Jean Monfort, violin performers from the US Embassy in Vietnam shared that being part of a Vietnam - US cultural exchange show makes them feel proud and connected with the local community. They brought folk music from their home country to introduce their own cultures to the people of Vietnam.
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| (Photo: Cameron Thomas-Shah) |
"Being in another country and being able to connect with people deeply through the language of music is such a unique privilege. Tonight we played bluegrass music, a traditional American folk music, which was made more popular by famous prominent violinists. People who lived in the Appalachian Mountains area and US migrants from Scotland and Northern Ireland have a long tradition of fiddle playing. [The great thing about fiddle music] is that it fosters a great sense of community.” said the performers from the US Embassy in Vietnam.
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| Vietnam - US culture show |
Long Pham / Source: Vietnamtimes
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