Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, 23, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Berklee Collegeof Music in the US. Continuing what has the makings of a sparklingcareer, he has just won the excellent conductor award in the Chorus Show" Viet Nam - Dat Nuoc Anh Hung " (Vietnam - The Heroic Country) heldby the Ho Chi Minh Youth Federation and Ho Chi Minh City Television. Hetalks to Viet Nam News about his path to stardom.
* Why did you decide to become a musician?
Music has been with me all of my life - I started playing piano when Iwas 3 and singing when I was 4. It just seemed like the most naturalthing to me. It is beyond a passion; it is what keeps me going. It gaveme so much, so I have to keep pursuing it. I want to create and teach tokeep music alive and help it to grow.
* What have you learnt from American music while attending Berklee College?
Music really has no borders, so we didn't just study Americanmusic. We listened, studied and collected different elements and aspectsof music from across the world. The most important lesson, however, isthat I have to keep listening, studying and collecting ideas from musictraditions everywhere. That's how we can find out what we want toinclude in our own music. My majors at Berklee were composition andcontemporary writing and production. I also did a minor in conducting.Therefore, that process is part of my every day musical life.
* Which musicians have most influenced your work?
I have listened to and studied a lot of different composers. I likethe power and efficiency of Beethoven's music. I enjoy the beauty andsophistication of Mozart. I love the music and orchestrations of Raveland Stravinsky. The revolutionary work of Webern greatly intrigues me.The drama in the music of John Williams, Stephen Sondheim and JasonRobert Brown amazes me. The quirkiness of Imogen Heap inspires me. Ilove the edge of Michael Jackson and Queen. I am also in awe of thesimplicity in the music of Trinh Cong Son. Leonard Bernstein and PeterSchickele - they have all opened my mind to so many things in music.
* In your opinion, what's the biggest challenge facing young musicians like you these days?
I think one of the biggest challenges is finding a way to defineoneself and one's music. There have been many who came before us. Theydid - and are doing - fantastic things. Just like many of my friends, Ilearn from them, but also try to establish my own musical identity. Itis particularly hard and discouraging when the quality of music ingeneral and the interest of the audience is not what I am expecting.
* What do you think about the musical industry of Vietnam nowadays?
It is a developing industry. However, classical music and traditionalmusic don't get as much attention as pop music. We have fantastictalents working in those fields, but they generally don't get therecognition and attention they deserve. I want to lend a helping hand tochange that picture. I think we should start with providing bettermusic and art education in school.
* What was it like receiving your excellent conductor award?
It was great - a challenging yet rewarding experience. I got to workwith very talented kids from the Singing Club of the Children's House ofHo Chi Minh City. We performed a song composed and arranged by myteacher, composer Tran Thanh Tung, called " Viet Nam Men Yeu " (LovelyVietnam), which won the gold medal. I was lucky to have the trust of myteachers, Vu Anh Tuyet, chair of the Performing Arts Department, andcomposer Tung, to lead the children's choir. Compared to working withadults, it was a little bit more challenging with the children. When itcame down to the wire, however, they did everything I asked them to do.And we had fun!
* What have been the most significant moments in your composing life so far?
In 2002, when I was 12, I wrote a song for my mother called " Me Oi! "(Dear Mom!). It was included in my second album, released when I was15. In 2005, I participated in a competition held by UNESCO Bangkokcalled "Sowing Seeds of Peace in the Mekong River Basin". I wrote thesong " Let's Light Our Peace " in both Vietnamese and English. I wasgiven the only Music award of the competition. They were both performedat my live show " Khuc Hat Yeu Doi " in June 2006.
In January 2011, I had my very own composition recital entitledAcoustic. It was to showcase some of my work up to that point. Most ofthe pieces were premiered live for the very first time. It was amazingto get to show off my work and receive fantastic reviews from myfriends, colleagues and lecturers.
* What are your future plans? Will you pursue classical music, modern, or both?
I would like to pursue both classical and contemporary music. I hopeto keep on composing, writing, performing and producing music. I am alsoa huge fan of musicals. I have watched and studied over 30 musicals andplays on Broadway. I would like to help popularise this genre inVietnam. And I would definitely like to continue into highereducation.-VNA
* Why did you decide to become a musician?
Music has been with me all of my life - I started playing piano when Iwas 3 and singing when I was 4. It just seemed like the most naturalthing to me. It is beyond a passion; it is what keeps me going. It gaveme so much, so I have to keep pursuing it. I want to create and teach tokeep music alive and help it to grow.
* What have you learnt from American music while attending Berklee College?
Music really has no borders, so we didn't just study Americanmusic. We listened, studied and collected different elements and aspectsof music from across the world. The most important lesson, however, isthat I have to keep listening, studying and collecting ideas from musictraditions everywhere. That's how we can find out what we want toinclude in our own music. My majors at Berklee were composition andcontemporary writing and production. I also did a minor in conducting.Therefore, that process is part of my every day musical life.
* Which musicians have most influenced your work?
I have listened to and studied a lot of different composers. I likethe power and efficiency of Beethoven's music. I enjoy the beauty andsophistication of Mozart. I love the music and orchestrations of Raveland Stravinsky. The revolutionary work of Webern greatly intrigues me.The drama in the music of John Williams, Stephen Sondheim and JasonRobert Brown amazes me. The quirkiness of Imogen Heap inspires me. Ilove the edge of Michael Jackson and Queen. I am also in awe of thesimplicity in the music of Trinh Cong Son. Leonard Bernstein and PeterSchickele - they have all opened my mind to so many things in music.
* In your opinion, what's the biggest challenge facing young musicians like you these days?
I think one of the biggest challenges is finding a way to defineoneself and one's music. There have been many who came before us. Theydid - and are doing - fantastic things. Just like many of my friends, Ilearn from them, but also try to establish my own musical identity. Itis particularly hard and discouraging when the quality of music ingeneral and the interest of the audience is not what I am expecting.
* What do you think about the musical industry of Vietnam nowadays?
It is a developing industry. However, classical music and traditionalmusic don't get as much attention as pop music. We have fantastictalents working in those fields, but they generally don't get therecognition and attention they deserve. I want to lend a helping hand tochange that picture. I think we should start with providing bettermusic and art education in school.
* What was it like receiving your excellent conductor award?
It was great - a challenging yet rewarding experience. I got to workwith very talented kids from the Singing Club of the Children's House ofHo Chi Minh City. We performed a song composed and arranged by myteacher, composer Tran Thanh Tung, called " Viet Nam Men Yeu " (LovelyVietnam), which won the gold medal. I was lucky to have the trust of myteachers, Vu Anh Tuyet, chair of the Performing Arts Department, andcomposer Tung, to lead the children's choir. Compared to working withadults, it was a little bit more challenging with the children. When itcame down to the wire, however, they did everything I asked them to do.And we had fun!
* What have been the most significant moments in your composing life so far?
In 2002, when I was 12, I wrote a song for my mother called " Me Oi! "(Dear Mom!). It was included in my second album, released when I was15. In 2005, I participated in a competition held by UNESCO Bangkokcalled "Sowing Seeds of Peace in the Mekong River Basin". I wrote thesong " Let's Light Our Peace " in both Vietnamese and English. I wasgiven the only Music award of the competition. They were both performedat my live show " Khuc Hat Yeu Doi " in June 2006.
In January 2011, I had my very own composition recital entitledAcoustic. It was to showcase some of my work up to that point. Most ofthe pieces were premiered live for the very first time. It was amazingto get to show off my work and receive fantastic reviews from myfriends, colleagues and lecturers.
* What are your future plans? Will you pursue classical music, modern, or both?
I would like to pursue both classical and contemporary music. I hopeto keep on composing, writing, performing and producing music. I am alsoa huge fan of musicals. I have watched and studied over 30 musicals andplays on Broadway. I would like to help popularise this genre inVietnam. And I would definitely like to continue into highereducation.-VNA
