Call for participants - FAMLAB residency

Nguyen Duc Minh: Conductor/composer and musician at the Seaphony ethnic orchestra. Having studied indigenous music at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, Minh is arguably one of the best jaw harp artists in Vietnam. He learnt from the son of renowned music researcher Tran Van Khe and soon acquired in-depth knowledge and a solid grasp of the woodwind instruments of the North West and other regions. Together with the Dan Do group, Minh is a leading artisanal making a number of contemporary indigenous instruments such as dan do, jar drum. Minh is the creator of Chem Gio and Bamboo Talk, ground-breaking experimental and genre-fusing performances showcased at Phu Sa Lab.

Quyen Thien Dac: Conductor/composer and musician at the Seaphony ethnic orchestra. Hailing from a music family with strong jazz background, Dac graduated from Vietnam National Academy of Music, majoring in saxophone, then gained a scholarship at Berklee College of Music, Boston, and a Masters degree at Malmo Academy of Music, Sweden.Dac is regarded as one of the top saxophonists and jazz musicians in Vietnam, and a pioneer of his generation renowned for his experimental work. His musical career took a major turn with a stronger focus on contemporary practices that fuse indigenous music, before starting work at Lune Production. He has experimented at Phu Sa Lab with musicians Nguyen Nhat Ly and Nguyen Duc Minh to co-create musical performances such as ‘Chem Gio’, a meeting of Western jazz and indigenous tunes. 

Dan Do Group of Musicians and Artisans: Dinh Anh Tuan, Tran Kim Ngoc, Nguyen Quang Su

A formidable trio that has been conquering local and international stages for the past 12 years. With more than six years’ experience working with bamboo and other native materials, these ‘new artisans’ offer invaluable knowledge in material research and approaching traditional music via a vastly contemporary angle. Through performances of the Seaphony ethnic orchestra, Lang Toi (My Village), Chem Gio and Bamboo Talk – they have played important roles as multi-instrumentalists and co-creators, Dan Do Group have demonstrated a strong grasp of a wide range of indigenous instruments from different parts of Vietnam (North West, the Central Highlands, or regions populated by Cham people along the South Central coast), as well as their own signature instrument: the dan do (‘fish trap’ percussion) and jar drum, amongst others.

BRITISH COUNCIL’S HERITAGE OF FUTURE PAST 

Heritage of Future Past is a two-year project delivered through the British Council’s Culture and Development initiative. Engaging with Vietnam’s music/film heritage, especially those currently under-threat or under-represented, the project consists of two interconnected strands: community-level activities and FAMLAB (Film, Archive and Music Lab). Launched in April 2018, the project seeks to create opportunities for communities across the country to contribute to – and benefit from – the safeguarding and reinvigoration of their cultural heritage.

Project activities are focused on research, documentation, conservation, training and capacity building (including oral teaching techniques), experimentation and innovation, advocacy and education (including policy and community dialogues), and the re-imagination and revitalisation of cultural heritage assets via contemporary practices. Find out more about Heritage of Future Past

LUNE PRODUCTION

Lune Production was established in 2012 with a vision to inspire native cultural values of the world, starting with Vietnam, to global audiences. The company develops and promotes spectacles and cultural products that capture the essence of local native cultures by collaborating with world-class artists who share the same values. Lune’s products such as A O Show, Lang Toi – My Village have won audiences’ hearts locally and across four continents as the company keeps expanding in scale, while maintaining focus on pushing creative boundaries and upholding native cultures. Most notable recent works include the S.E.A Sound Project, initiating the Seaphony ethnic orchestra and Palao, a contemporary theatrical creation based on Champa culture.

SEASOUND PROJECT & THE SEAPHONY ETHNIC ORCHESTRA

The S.E.A Sound project was initiated by musician Nguyen Nhat Ly to create a South East Asian musical platform where the community of ethnic music lovers gather to share, enjoy, compose, perform, and prosper. After years of research and months of passionate labour throughout 2017, the Seaphony orchestra proudly made its first appearance in the ethnic music concert ‘Dem Vo Thuc Ban Dịa’ at Hanoi Opera House, on 12 December 2017. The project aims to grow deeper and more sustainable roots within local ethnic communities, while connecting musicians across South East Asian countries to build an open network sharing a passion for indigenous music and bringing native sounds of South East Asia to the world.

PHU SA LAB

Located in Hanoi’s Tay Ho District, Phu Sa Lab was founded by the visionary artist Nguyen Nhat Ly in his early years having returned to Vietnam. It serves as a hub for independent artists for traditional and ethnic music experimentation in contemporary context as well as an open space for creatives and cultural activists who share artistic, humanitarian, environmentalist ideals and passion.