Culture Vulture

Actress Minh Chau is a familiar face on the big and small screens. Vietnamese cinema lovers may recognise her as the woman with a double identity in Song Nu (The Two Women) or Ms Nhan in the Berlin Film Festival award-winning Ben Khong Chong (Wharf of Widows).

She spoke to Culture Vulture about the importance of a work ethic in acting and her latest role in the television series Bi Thu Tinh Uy (The Provincial Party Committee Secretary).

Tell us about your role in Bi Thu Tinh Uy ?

My character is named Thuong, and she's got a lot of personality. As soon as I accepted the role from director Quoc Trong, I studied her life, from her childhood through her last days. The character is based on a real person named Dong. She was born in Bac Ninh and later moved to Vinh Phuc. Before 1954, Dong was a revolutionary activist in Viet Bac base with Kim Ngoc. They were very young and their lives were intertwined. When Kim Ngoc moved back to Vinh Phuc to become the provincial Party committee secretary, Dong went with him. He appointed her a position as head of the Vinh Phuc Party inspection board. The further I went into the script, the more I liked Thuong for her straightforwardness, hot-headedness yet she is knowledgeable and decisive.

How did you land this role?

When it comes to casting, the crew was really worried about the role of Thuong. Trong then revealed that he already had someone in mind who would be perfect for the role. As soon as my name came up, screenwriter Thuy Linh instantly agreed. For a while, Trong had been telling me that he had a very interesting role for me.

Is it true that you first rejected the part?

No. The story is that, when I accepted this role, my hair was curly and died strawberry blonde, while my character was a peasant living in the country in the 1960s. I expressed my concerns to Trong, and he promised me a hairdresser who could help me get into character. But when I arrived at the location, there was no hairdresser. Trong had misunderstood that I didn't want to have my hair straightened, but, in truth, it couldn't have been done. I had asked a number of professional hairdressers and was told that if I had it straightened, I would look like a girl in a shampoo ad, which wouldn't be consistent with the character at all. I threw a diva-scale fit and said that I would no longer play this part.

After I returned to Ha Noi and finally calmed down, a sense of responsibility took over. Then I asked a make-up artist friend of mine to make a custom wig for me. It's funny that a little thing could cause such a conflagration, but things happen. As soon as I tried on the wig, I found the peace of mind to play the role and everything was fine. When I play a role, everything must be perfect. You must ask for perfection, first of all in yourself, in order to really get into a role.

Can you share some of your memories of shooting the film?

Thuong is addicted to black tobacco, she walks around with a bamboo hubble-bubble pipe with her all the time. The pipe is her security blanket, with which she shares all her ups and downs. At first, everyone in my family told me horrible stories about pipe tobacco.

One even told the tale of a man who was high on tobacco and dove head first into a burning stove and burned his face off. I was a bit intimidated but knew that I had to make the sacrifice as it was my character's thing. So I got creative because I had no idea how to smoke a pipe.

First, I took a puff of cigarette and held the smoke in my mouth. Then, I placed my mouth on the pipe and we started shooting. But then I thought it wouldn't look real, so I knew I have to practice smoking a pipe. It was definitely no piece-of-cake. Practice makes perfect, and on one lovely day, everyone saw me smoking the pipe like an addict.

You once said you wanted to play a rebel. Have you gotten your dream role?

The national film and television industry hasn't been able yet to produce such a role for an actress my age. I would love to someday play that type of character, someone who is ambitious but with a bit of a dark side. — VNS

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Culture Vulture

A theatre production Parzival will be performed by Vietnamese artists tomorrow to conclude the German Year in Viet Nam 2010.

Parzival is a musical that was written especially for this German-Vietnamese co-production. The opera, Through the Valley, was written by conductor Pierre Oser, stage directed by Austrian-American Beverly Blankenship with libretto provided by internationally renowned German playwright Tankred Dorst.

Conductor Pierre Oser and director Beverley Blankenship began working with Vietnamese artists last November. They sat down with a correspondent from Culture Vulture to talk about the latest production.

Could you talk about the music in Parzival?

Oser: First, there was a concept to make a piece with opera, dancing and acting. Tankred Dorst and Ursula Ehler developed the libretto for this concept, then I started to work on the composition.

We started working with this opera l¸t November, while different groups of dancers, singers and actors worked separately, and recently we started rehearsing together on the same stage.

The story is universal and timeless and in my opinion can be understood by people from all over the world. It is a great pleasure to write music for such a strong and beautiful story, for the characters and the situations they find themselves in.

The production will involve singing, dancing and acting. Is it hard work for you as a conductor?

Oser: Yes, it's difficult and unusual for all of us. The orchestra is too big for the pit and we have had to place the musicians (and the conductor) at the back of the stage. That means that we have to work on stage with video monitoring. It's not easy for all of us. But the musicians, singers, dancers and actors are flexible and open and I appreciate their attitude.

I've done some big productions in Europe, and there are always problems and unexpected situations. That is part of the work, you have to be able to handle what happens.

There are about 100 people joining the opera. It is quite hard work, hard to organise. In a football match, we have 22 people but on the stage we have nearly 100 people working together.

Normally, people use one kind of art to tell a story. It was quite unusual when we mixed three different arts together like this, opera, dance and acting. So, we have to work with lots of actors, singers and dancers together. Moreover, we are using two languages, German and Vietnamese.

A big problem is that actors and musicians have to do their work and also follow others' work. Sometimes, when the actor is crying or acting on the stage, the music and mood has to work with it.

This is the first time Vietnamese artists have blended these different kinds of art together. Will they be successful?

Oser: We all give our best, we work hard and have concentrated together for more than two months and have learned a lot from each other. We hope that are hard work shows, which will let the audience in on part of the experience.

This is a great chance for us and also for the Vietnamese. We had lots of work with actors, but when the actors work with the orchestra, a step by step process seems to work better and better.

Dancing is one way of telling a story. When the audience see the moves on the stage and hear the singing, they will be able to experience the character's feelings.

Director Beverley Blankenship, how was your experience with working with Vietnamese artists for the first time?

Blankenship: Opera is very complex. It's hard work. This is not the first time I've done a project that involved acting, singing and dancing. I've worked for 30 years. I think Vietnamese actors are very good and so are the singers and dancers.

We have a lot of fun working with them. I enjoy working together. Music has the power to help people understand a story, and sometimes it's hard to convey that with acting alone. Three different arts in one opera; it's a normal form, but its complicated to pull off. Moreover, it's expensive to get the proper lighting and sound system.

The project started in November. I love Vietnamese acting, dancing and music. In the beginning, it's difficult to work together, but now things are getting better and better. — VNS

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Culture Vulture

Musician Hoang Van Dai is in the vanguard of experimental music in Viet Nam, a major talent despite not being a popular one. Audiences will have a chance to sample his work in performance tomorrow in Ha Noi, in collaboration with Danish saxophonist Lotte Anker. Dai spoke to Culture Vulture about the concert.

How did you set up this colloboration with Lotte Anker?

I have been following foreign musicians who have performed in Viet Nam over the past three years. I met and spoke to Lotte about collaborating last year.

Lotte arrived in Viet Nam last Thursday. We are now rehearsing for the concert on Friday [tomorrow]. For the first two days, it has been really difficult. She likes my idea, but it has taken time for her to hear it and catch it. She has to play eastern music well, which is quite different from western.

In my project, there's a frame of music which I have created, but I want involved artists and to discover it with me together. Obviously, this does not exclude improvisation.

Will new compositions be peformed in the concert?

All of the songs were performed in my previous conerts Solar Eclipse I (2001), Solar Eclipse II (2004) and Dai Lam Linh (2010). I'm sure many people wonder why I say I do experimental music when the songs are so old. But this Friday's concert will be surprising because of the movement in the music. Movement is my criterion. Movement will help me to refine and add more new factors to the music.

The audiences who attended my previous concerts will be able to see the distinction. The songs are old, but it doesn't mean I am not working. I make the distinction. I'm moving in my music, in both the old and new works.

How would you describe the genre of your music?

My music is developed from Vietnamese traditional music like cheo (traditional opera), ca tru (ceremonial singing) and tuong (classical drama). But people can't see the traditional materials in my work. Even musicians don't dare talk to me about it.

Tell us more about what will be in the concert?

Two songs, Dua Tre (Bamboo Chopsticks) and Chieu (Afternoon), which I wrote in the 1980s will be performed in the concert, but this is only the second time they are being performed.

The songs will be performed by Linh Dung and Thanh Lam. They sing as they tell stories. Sometimes they perform together and sometimes they are separate. Their performance will not follow any rules about duo singing. I will not control their performances because they have worked with me for a long time and I understand them well. Their spontaneous performance on stage is creativity.

Pop singer Ha Linh will sing together with Dung and Lam. Audiences will enjoy one song which will be performed in three different versions, by Dung and Lam, by Linh, and by Lotte. The performances will include different genres, like pop, semi-classical and contemporary, and will break out of ordinary arrangement and orchestration.

The song Tiec Nuoi (Regret) tells the story of a girl. Dung and Lam's experimental performance will feature the girl's dream. She has a nightmare in a hospital. But, in Linh's following performance, the girl awakens. However, the words sung by Linh cannot express all of the emotion. That diversity will be heard in Lotte's version.

Your band Dai Lam Linh recently appeared on television but some said it should not have appeared because your performance was too shocking. What do you think?

I don't agree. I think that experimental music needs to be popularised. I don't blame the audiences for their reaction because it is first time they have heard experimental music on television.

The monthly music show Bai Hat Viet (Vietnamese Songs) on the channel VTV3 has included four of my songs. I think they were very successful. But it's fair to have fans and anti-fans. I don't resent the audiences.

I'm doing experimental music. If we don't experiment, we don't have new things or ways of changing.

I don't want to look back too much. If I do, I don't have any feeling. When I read newspapers about my music, I'm affected a little bit, but I have to get over it quickly. Ten years ago, I was more sharp-tongued.

Do you think that any collaboration with foreign artists is experimental?

I think that any musical collaboration between Vietnamese and foreign artists must be based on Vietnamese music. Foreigners need to listen to eastern music. Maybe they like it or they don't – it doesn't matter. But we can discuss it. If we want to introduce our music and have exchanges, we should have completely Vietnamese products with Vietnamese language, characteristics and especially culture. Because our national culture will attract people from other nations. — VNS

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German writers Ingo Schulze and Zuli Zeh spent the month of October in Viet Nam searching for inspiration on a tour that took them from the north to the south of the country.

Schulze also took the opportunity to introduce his book Adam and Evelyn which will soon be published in Viet Nam. He talks with Culture Vulture about his trip.

Could you tell our readers about your recent trip through Viet Nam?

I was invited by the Goethe Institute in Ha Noi to present the Vietnamese translation of my novel Adam and Evelyn. I have wanted to visit Viet Nam for along time. I come from the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), which was informally known as East Germany, from the City of Dresden, where many Vietnamese have worked and studied.

My book describes the time from August to November 1989, in which many people lost their fear of the authorities and marched in the street for freedom and self-determination.

In September, when Hungary opened its borders to Austria, my characters, Adam and Evelyn, must decide if they should go to the west or drive back to the East Germany. They are faced with the same questions as Adam in Eve in the bible – To stay or go, What is temptation, what is good, what is evil? – which one could say are questions that underlie every aspect of current events.

I was in Ha Noi for one week, where I enjoyed the 1,000-year anniversary celebrations, spent three very beautiful days on Cat Ba, then visited Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, My Son and finally HCM City, where I had another reading.

What impressed you most?

Of course I enjoyed my encounters with my translator and friends, with artists like Le Quang Ha, and other literature and art lovers. I also found that daily like, which I had some time to enjoy, fascinated me.

If someone doesn't know anything about Germany or Viet Nam, then nearly everything needs to be explained. Traffic in Viet Nam is completely different than in Germany. A Vietnamese street, a Vietnamese shop are hardly comparable to their German counterparts. In Germany, work and free time/family are much more separated. Public and private lives are more clearly distinct from one another.

In Viet Nam, a lot happens on the street, in the open. I enjoyed that very much, I never felt lonely.

What do you do with your experiences in Viet Nam?

It was my first trip to Viet Nam. I thought I could perhaps find a few analogies to compare with my experiences of system change, but I didn't find much.

I am working on a travel diary based on my notes. It is not easy to come to terms with the flood of impressions. The deciding moment of a journey is always the moment of return.

You talked with Vietnamese readers about your book Adam and Evelyn which will be released soon in Viet Nam. What did you say to the readers in Ha Noi and HCM City?

The readers only knew a few extracts from the book, but they noticed that it was mainly women who made confident decisions, both in private life as well as in business.

We also touched on a very basic question about the life of a writer: can you make a living from books. In Germany I earn a part of my income from readings in bookstores, cultural centres, schools and universities.

Have you read any Vietnamese books? Do you know about Vietnamese literature?

I have begun to learn about Vietnamese literature and depend on German and English translations to do so. I find Pham Thi Hoai very good, I have read two of her books. I have just started reading stories by Nguyen Huy Thiep.

I find it very encouraging that in Viet Nam, the short story is so recognised, this is unfortunately not the case in Europe. I read Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh in English.

Looking back on your trip, what did you like most about Viet Nam?

I don't like generalisations, because you can find people you like being with everywhere, and others you don't, whether you can speak their language or not. What I liked very much in Viet Nam was the friendliness and the humour. Sometimes just a small gesture was enough to make us burst out into ringing laughter. — VNS

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Culture Vulture

Artist Pham Tuan Tu is one of eight artists recently selected by the Denmark Cultural Development Exchange Fund for its Talent Prize 2010. Born in 1981, Tu is a graduate of the Ha Noi University of Industrial Fine Arts and is a member of the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association's Young Artist Club. Tu spoke to Culture Vulture about his first solo exhibition and about the theme of sexual ambiguity that appears in his work.

Why do you think your work was chosen?

I get feedback from viewers, and I think that they have strange feelings when they look at my paintings. They are curious to see something which rarely appears in painting.

Of the eight painters who won, I like the most the paintings by Nguyen Xuan Hoang. His ideas and forms of expression are very particular. He puts a prosaic object (a chair) in his works but shows its particular aesthetics.

Do you usually paint on the theme of homosexuality?

I paint homosexual subjects because it attracts me. It is one of many themes I want to touch upon. Contradiction between social preconception and instinct makes for a miserable fate, especially for homosexual people.

I think that sex cannot exist as an independent entity. It is a dependent factor and is governed not only by chromosomes but by many other factors like psychology, living environment, habit and nature.

When I began to know about homosexual people, I thought unconsciously about them and their lives. I don't know what urged me try to understand them.

I'm interested in many human interest subjects. In my latest painting, In Life, which will be displayed at the coming National Fine Arts Exhibition, I looked at enjoyment. In another painting, A Memorial Afternoon, which was exhibited by the Young Painters Club last June, I depicted death, or the different ways people die. Not a bodily death, but a mental death.

I have focused on many other subjects in my exhibition.

Do you know how the lesbian and gay community responds to your work?

I have received a lot of feedback from people who have seen the paintings. I think that they should not been seen negatively, but I don't mind. My works are my individual viewpoint. I don't impose my thoughts on theirs.

This is your first solo exhibition. How do you feel about it?

I usually participate in annual exhibitions by the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association, or in groups of independent artists. So this will be the first solo exhibition in my career. It will be a good chance for me to improve myself.

I have had to think a lot about it. I didn't have a specific theme. I want to present the contradictions in modern society. I want to comprehend my individual thoughts with a view to creating new works. I will try to fully express my ideas in various forms.

How long does it take you to complete a painting? Will you sell them?

I paint very quickly. The three paintings Gay, Uni-sex and Mud were made in 2008. The painting In Front of the Mirror, I painted this year. All are acrylic on canvas. Right after finishing them, I was very satisfied with them. But that was at that time.

All the paintings are for sale. — VNS

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Singer Nhat Kim Anh was granted the Best Actress award at the Viet Nam International Film Festival for her role in Long Thanh Cam Gia Ca (The Fate of a Songstress in Thang Long). She talked with Minh Thu about her award.

How did you feel when the Best Actress prize was announced?

I couldn't believe my ears, because I knew the title would only go to one excellent actress, and I assumed it belonged to Fiona Sit from Hong Kong. When the speaker repeated my name and the people surrounding me began to offer their congratulations, only then did I realise I had won the prize.

I was dumbstruck and really nervous on stage. My heart was racing and I couldn't breathe properly.

I'm a singer and have only taken part in a few films. I thought that the film would receive some recognition at the festival, but never dreamed that I'd win a prize.

I'm quite modest about the award though, just because I won it, doesn't mean I'm an excellent actress, I've still got to work at improving my performances.

Can you share some memories about the film shoot?

The film was made over three months in eight provinces. I had a scene bathing in a very cold weather with heavy rain. It was freezing! When the director shouted "cut", people covered me up with piles of blankets as I was shivering due to the cold.

Once in the northern province of Bac Giang, we were shooting in a windy location, and while taking our lunch break, a gust of wind blew our food away.

You're a thoroughly modern beauty, how did you go about portraying Cam, a young songstress from the 18th-century feudal period?

Some people weren't convinced by director Dao Ba Son's choice of me for the role of Cam, but he saw Cam in me. She and I have many things in common. First, we are both singers, and we had to live far from our families from an early age. Even though I speak with a southern accent, my way of speaking still bears some northern features because I was born in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

I read the script many times, and was moved and then totally convinced by Cam. My greatest worry was whether I could bring myself to only cry from one eye as Cam does. I practised many days in front of the mirror with a timer, so as I could concentrate my emotions and cry within the required timeframe.

At first I cried with both eyes, but after three days, I started practising to repress my feelings, and then could push myself to only cry with the right eye because it is more sensitive than the left.

When watching film, the audience will see Cam's tears slowly running from one eye as she explains that she allows "one eye to cry, one eye to see the life". If we had used eye drops, my eyes could not have replicated that effect and would have become red.

What are your views on your role?

Cam was a beautiful and skilful songstress in Thang Long. She met poet Nguyen Du and they empathised and respected each other in terms of their talents for playing instruments and constructing verse. Sadly they didn't have a happy ending.

I think I successfully portrayed her through different periods in her life, when she was 16, 26 and 40 years old, with different appearance and emotions.

I undertook painstaking preparations to portray the role, including learning chau van (spiritual music) and playing the dan nguyet (moon-shaped four-string instrument).

In your opinion, what was the secret to the success of the film?

Well, the film was based on the poetry of Nguyen Du, a great poet, so it's pure Vietnamese, and contains the beauty of traditional culture, literature, customs and the people's lifestyles. The film reflects images representing Viet Nam's countryside.

Have you got any more film roles planned?

Next year I will finish my role in Ve Dat Thang Long (Return to Thang Long). Then I will invest my time in music. My fourth album named Nang La (Strange Sunlight) will be released soon. The prize marks a new era in my life. I hope that I'll have the opportunity to act in other films.

I don't want to divide myself into two parts but will gather my strength in terms of one goal. I won't record an album and take part in a film at the same time. The previous album wasn't successful because I was too focused on acting. I have to learn from that mistake. — VNS

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Culture Vulture

Budapest-based Vietnamese designer, Luu Anh Tuan, will present his creations at the annual Dep Fashion Show (DFS) on Sunday in Ha Noi. His works combine modern western and traditional oriental features. The 30-year-old designer, who is regarded as a Hungarian fashion phenomenon, talks with Culture Vulture about his creative jobs and the inspiration for his collection.

What led you to work in fashion?

My two older brothers, who studied fine arts, introduced me to the arts when I was very young; that played a significant role in my inclination towards fashion. My interest grew when my family moved to Hungary in 1989. I had more access to European art and culture.

I decided to study fashion in the Textile Design Department at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest, as well as at the London College of Fashion. I specialised in fashion and accessory design.

How do fashionistas greet your creations?

Since launching my own fashion label, Anh Tuan, in 2006, I've been invited to join the Budapest Fashion Week every year. My designs were presented at the New York Fashion Week in September 2009 and at the London Fashion Week in February 2010, and are regularly featured in leading fashion magazines like ELLE, InStyle, Marie Claire, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan.

Why did you decide to join the DFS?

I joined because I knew the show was organised by Dep magazine, a leading Vietnamese fashion magazine equivalent to some famous international publications. I believe in Dep and the show itself as it is a large fashion show for Viet Nam.

After spending years building my reputation in the fashion industry, I realised it was the right time for me to return to Viet Nam. Vietnamese fashionistas can glimpse European fashion through my creations. Also, by presenting my collection, I am proudly presenting the success I've achieved after more than 20 years spent living abroad.

Can you reveal anything about your collection to be presented at the show?

Unlike my previous collections, which relied heavily on the use of geometric constructions, the collection for DFS presents more "Asian elements". It is colourful with traditional Asian patterns and themes, including wind, clouds, dragons, and fire.

The pieces are made mainly from Asian luxury materials such as classical Tibet hand-woven brocade, silk, organza, leather, and furs. By using these "Asian elements", I hope the collection will remind the audience of traditional values.

I spent two and a half months completing the collection, which includes 40 outfits as well as bags and shoes.

Do you have ideas for another collection that incorporates Asian features?

Vietnamese women's traditional black silk trousers have made a special impression on me. I see these trousers as a "fashion specialty" of Viet Nam. Although many generations of Vietnamese women have worn them for hundreds of years, they are not popular anymore. That's why I like the idea of redesigning Vietnamese women's clothes as well as traditional clothes from other Asian cultures.

Can you talk more about your current work in Budapest?

Besides running my own showroom, I also manage four other stores in Budapest and Szentendre.

After the DFS in Ha Noi, I have to prepare for my own show set to take place in Budapest in December. All creations presented at the DFS will be showcased at my solo show as well. — VNS

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Japanese researcher Imai Akio, who teaches at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, has just returned to Viet Nam to resume work on the American war. He first came to Viet Nam in 1979 and has since returned many times.

He spoke with the Culture Vulture about his research.

Could you tell us about your war research in Viet Nam?

The major subject of my studies and teaching at university is the modern history of Viet Nam since the beginning of the 20th century until now. For the last few years, I have focused on recording the experiences of those who took part in the anti-American war, which is one of three main topics I have been working on. The other two are the history of Vietnamese nationalist ideology and religious movements in Viet Nam.

During this visit to Viet Nam, I hope to complete research for a book entitled War Memories in Viet Nam, which includes references to Gio Dai (Wild Wind) by writer Bao Ninh that was translated by Professor Kawaguchi Kenichi.

Where have you been to in Viet Nam?

I have been to various parts of Viet Nam, including Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Dien Bien Phu, Hoa Binh, Quang Binh, Vinh Long and Tra Vinh. I have met and talked to about 100 war veterans that have included ethnic minorities such as Thai and Muong.

I have listened to their life stories during and after the war.

How has your view of the American War changed after hearing these accounts?

It's hard to say. I want to record the personal accounts of war veterans, those that were involved in the fighting. I don't want to look at the war through the eyes of war leaders.

Their memories are important and valuable to history and social researchers. If we don't record them, they will be lost for ever. That would be a great loss to history. I suppose your own historians should do the same thing before it is too late.

Did you encounter any difficulties meeting and talking to these war veterans? How long did you spend with each of them?

I spoke to each of them for about an hour. They were quite willing to talk to me.

Who impressed you the most?

I met many interesting people, who had very moving stories to relate. For example, there was a female volunteer in Thanh Hoa who spent the whole of her youth in the military. She now lives alone and farms a small plot of land, which she owns.

There isn't time in the day to recount all my meetings. But there were many very interesting experiences.

Why did you choose to conduct your research in Viet Nam, not Japan or another country?

The war in Viet Nam was a major event in the 20th century, not only for Asians but also Westerners. However, there has been little research conducted on the experiences of ordinary people. There have however been lots written about the war in Viet Nam from the point of international history and social history.

Why did you choose Kon Tum for your last destination in Viet Nam before returning home?

I wanted to interview ethnic minority war veterans there. Kon Tum is not my last destination for this topic. I will return to Viet Nam and meet more veterans from other places.

How do you cover the cost of your visits?

My expenses are being subsidised by the Japanese government.

Aside from the war, what other interests do you have in Viet Nam?

I have seen many films and read lots of books on Viet Nam such as films by director Dang Nhat Minh, Viet Linh and written work by Bao Ninh, Le Luu and Duong Huong. On this visit, I met a Vietnamese writer who is helping me translate a book from Vietnamese into Japanese. — VNS

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The First Ha Noi International Piano Competition with 63 participants from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada, Russia, Taiwan and host-country, Viet Nam, ended on Sunday. The event was organised by the Viet Nam National Academy of Music (VNAM). Director of VNAM Ngo Van Thanh discusses the event with Culture Vulture.

This is the first time Viet Nam launched an international piano competition. Was it a success?

The First Ha Noi International Piano Competition was created to mark Polish composer Frederik Chopin's 200th birthday and one of the events to celebrate the capital Ha Noi's 1,000th birthday. It was a festival for pianists and piano lovers. This was an opportunity for the VNAM to host a music event that met international standards. It was also a chance for talented pianists to shine, and for Vietnamese music academics to meet international people in the profession.

It's great we were supported strongly by the international community. The event was successful for two reasons. First, we had qualified piano teachers who did a great job organising the event. Second, is the increased role of the private sector in the development of the arts in Viet Nam.

The event was sponsored by individuals and organisations like Techcombank, Vietnam Airlines and many overseas Vietnamese.

The competition was launched 30 years after Vietnamese pianist Dang Thai Son became the first Asian to win the prestigious International Frederik Chopin Piano Competition in Poland in 1980. How can Vietnamese artists win more prizes at the international competition in the coming years?

The competition itself aims to improve Vietnamese classical music teaching and performance skills. During the years, we have had many talents like accordionist Nguyen Quynh Trang who won the Hong Kong Competition for Young Asian Musicians in 2001 or soprano Bich Thuy, the first prize winner in the International Opera Contest in Thailand in 2008.

Pianists include Luu Hong Quang, who won a special prize at the Asia Chopin International Piano Competition in Tokyo in 2006 and a second prize at the Valtidone International Piano Competition in Italy in 2008, Do Hoang Linh Chi, who won the first prize for his piano performance at the 3rd ASEAN International Concerto Competition in Indonesia in 2009, and Luu Duc Anh, who won the first prize at the piano competition known as "Classical Sonata" held in Sydney, Australia in 2009.

International competitions are good opportunities for artists and teachers to study and stay up-to-date with the international music standards.

Is it true that Vietnamese music teachers are highly appreciated by the international community?

We have a powerful set of young talents who have been trained in a strong music environment. Many countries in the region wish they had a training institution like the Viet Nam Academy of Music, which boasts a generation of teachers who were trained in Russia before creating a professional training curriculum.

Some regional countries lack intermediate level training. In contrast, Viet Nam seeks and encourages potential talents from a very early age and trains them over a long period time.

The Government has supplied about 80 pianos to the academy, worth hundreds of billions of dong.

With more than 270 piano students and many international prizes, would you say the piano is a particular strength for Vietnamese musicians?

Piano has always drawn the most students because the piano is regarded as one of the most prestigious musical instrument, and that is true in many countries. Thus, the piano is certainly popular in Viet Nam.

At present, drawing foreign talents, both teachers and students, is currently a trend in the region. Is Viet Nam following this trend?

Actually, Singapore and Thailand now have Western teachers and even invite international managers. It is a fast-growing trend and it draws many foreign talents. There are many Vietnamese, Chinese, Thais and Indonesians who now train in Singapore.

In addition, Russian-trained Vietnamese teachers are always updating modern music knowledge. — VNS

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Culture Vulture

Performance artist Vu Duc Toan is the only Vietnamese representative to join artists from 10 countries to display their works at the 17th Nippon International Performance Art Festival (NIPAF). The 28-year-old spoke with Culture Vulture about the festival and the artistic ideas he presented during the event.

What was the agenda of this year's NIPAF?

I was among 10 guest artists, who come from Bangladesh, India, Mexico, Romania, Slovakia, South Korea, Switzerland, and Viet Nam. We joined another group of 10 Japanese artists to travel to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagano to perform. In addition, in every city we travelled to, there were some more local artists who joined our performances.

Almost all of us presented our repertoire/act in small theatres or studios, which had capacities of some 50-60 people. However, the stage was not the only place where artists performed, that's why I some times performed in the corridor outside the main venue, while another artist performed among the audience. We even performed in an isolated house on top of a mountain. There wasn't any modern equipment, internet or mobile phone coverage. We were only surrounded by nature.

Did the limitation on performing venues hinder any of your performances?

The limitations had some effect, while differences in the environment, or perhaps my slow response to a situation also had an impact. I brought some electrical equipment from Viet Nam, but I discovered that the equipment was not suitable with the 110V power capacity network in Japan. Another example was when we performed in a house up in the mountains. Although each artist had a very short time to prepare for their performance, I changed my act three times. My first ideas required the support of modern technology such as a mobile phone, but there wasn't any mobile phone coverage in the area.

Can you tell us more about your performances in the festival?

I presented a series of performances on the theme of water. The series was named Appendix of an Epic on Water, and I numbered every performance. I presented performance No 2 in Tokyo with a live carp. I wore a wetsuit, hiding the carp behind my back and walked onto the stage. I slowly and respectfully placed the fish on a small dais, and used a handsaw to cut the fish. I wanted all my movements to portray respect, like I was conducting a ceremony. Using a monotonous tempo, I cut the fish's head with concentration, but without any emotion.

The venue was extremely quiet and you could even hear the sound created when the saw touched the backbone of the fish. However, the saw suddenly broke, with a loud "pangggggg", and despite that the audience remained silent.

Was the broken saw an accident or your idea?

It was an accident. Actually, I wanted the audiences to maintain their silence in a strained atmosphere until the fish's head had been cut off.

How did you feel the saw broke?

The incident brought a range of different emotions. I quietly put the saw down, lifted the fish and placed it into a handkerchief, wrapped carefully, put it back on the dais, then slowly moved back into the wings.

How did the audiences react to your performance?

They remained silent until I disappeared behind the wings, and then broke out into thunderous applause. They applauded like they were getting rid of something. Maybe they were swallowed up in the silence and a different level of emotion. I've received feedback from audiences such as "I felt creeped-out when I saw you perform", "Is your performance about repentance and the regret? Is that right?"

The audience response proves my performance had some success as it provided them with inspiration to use their imagination as well as engaging their emotions.

What impressed you most about the festival?

It was the hard-working attitude of the artists, including some amateur artists, who make a living doing normal jobs, such as being waiter or leaflet distributor. I really admired them when I found out they have didn't have any artistic professional qualifications and had to work hard to save up to join NIPAF. — VNS

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