ONLINE―In traditional music, one finds the essence of the strength and resilience of the Vietnamese diaspora. Folksongs connect people in recollection, and new works inspire audiences to share their stories. In this event, composer and multi-instrumentalist Vân-Ánh Võ reflects on her innovative take on traditional Vietnamese music. She presents a daring work for đàn bầu, a single-stringed Vietnamese instrument, and voice that takes inspiration from poetry by eighteen-century poet Hồ Xuân Hương. With her Blood Moon Orchestra, she offers a collaborative work for đàn tranh zither, taiko drum, and oud lute on the resilience possible in the pandemic. In conversation with ethnomusicologist Alexander M. Cannon, they explore the roots and power of the Vietnamese musical tradition and discuss new work for her MEKONG project.
Vân-Ánh Võ will address questions from the audience throughout the program, as well as during the Q&A.
Registration is free. A link to the live stream will be provided in the confirmation email. If you’d like to support the artists and the program, donations will be welcomed. For more information, go to https://centerforworldmusic.org/event/vietnam-roots-resilience/ or contact Monica Emery, Executive Director, 858-882-7734, monica@centerforworldmusic.org. This project is supported by California Humanities through a Humanities for All Quick Grant.
