Artist Ngo Hong Quang: I am no longer alone

Bold risk for pure love

Q: Your band, Thien Thanh Band, made a remarkable debut with the concert "Ve Kinh Bac” (Coming to Northern Region). Audiences heard traditional music in a new soundscape for the first time, which was familiar and fresh. What inspired you to form Thien Thanh Band?

A: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have spent more time in Vietnam. As I participated in various musical and art programmes across the country, I realised there are very few traditional music bands, let alone bands that incorporate a modern folk vibe. I felt the need to contribute something to the community, especially to those involved in traditional music. That is why I decided to establish Thien Thanh Band, to create a platform for young people who love traditional music and want to pursue it professionally.

Thien Thanh Band appreciates the integration of traditional instruments within a new sound organisation and pays special attention to harmonisation and rhythm arrangements in a more diverse and international style. Audiences will experience traditional Vietnamese music in a new dimension, which is different yet familiar. This is how I want to ignite passion in the next generations of traditional musicians. We need to preserve the essence and quintessence features that our ancestors left behind, while also incorporating contemporary music elements. This approach will always keep folk music vibrant and fresh.

Q: To fulfil the role of an inspirer, selecting the right people as members of Thien Thanh Band must have been quite a challenge, right?

A: Thien Thanh Band is still very young, and the members came to me almost by chance. After working together for more than four months, they have transformed significantly. They have overcome the challenges I set and show a strong desire to change themselves and learn new things. I am confident that with this momentum, Thien Thanh Band will become a professional band, capable of creating projects and works suitable for an international stage.

Q: Enjoying the “Ve Kinh Bac” concert, I felt the pure love and enthusiasm of the young people, both performers and audience, in a fresh, intimate, and connected creative space. Does this mean that traditional music is more appealing to younger audiences? What are your next plans with Thien Thanh Band?

A: Thank you for your affection for our performance. I am very pleased with the results of the team’s hard work in more than four months. Because of their passion, I think I will need to compose more and make concrete plans for Thien Thanh Band, such as organising more shows and tours and connecting with artists domestically and internationally, to share and learn from each other's musical cultures. The next immediate plan is to record and release our debut album “Ve Kinh Bac”.

Q: You mentioned that investing in the “Ve Kinh Bac” concert was a “risky” investment. Why do you describe it as such?

A: Many members of Thien Thanh Band have not yet graduated from music schools, lack performance experience, and have not been exposed to much beyond their academic lessons. Because I did not formally select the members but welcomed anyone who came to me, it was like playing chess with an unpredictable outcome. Additionally, I invested all my effort and finances into making this concert. Given all these factors, elevating Thien Thanh Band to be the main performer was indeed a significant risk, both artistically and financially. Fortunately, the audience warmly embraced our music and how I organised and conceptualised the performance.

Q: With Thien Thanh Band now on board, do you feel less alone on your journey?

A: Perhaps so. Thien Thanh Band has become a part of me, and I will strive to nurture and develop the band along its unique path of artistic quality and creativity.

The Purpose of Traveling is to Return

Q: Before the launch of the Thien Thanh Band, you released the album "Rang dong” (Dawn), your new creation using musical material from the ethnic minorities in the Northwest and Northeast regions, and the Cham people. Could you share a bit about the three-year period you spent working on this album?

A: It was nearly two years of continuous fieldwork, travelling to various locations, climbing mountains, and wading through streams to connect with the local people. They provided me with significant inspiration, thanks to their culture, lifestyle, and pristine natural landscapes. After those experiences, it took almost another year to compose, record, and produce the music. Another notable aspect of the album is that while the works are developed from the music of ethnic minorities, the instruments and performers are varied, including Kinh instruments, folk artists, and domestic and international musicians.

I believe achieving what I truly want and love, always requires great effort and time. However, this album has certainly given me a lot of positive energy. From the creative process until now, when talking with you, I still listen to my music repeatedly to recharge whenever I feel tired. “Dawn” has provided me with much creative inspiration and motivation for my future music projects.

Q: You studied at major music schools around the world and gained a certain reputation in the field of contemporary music before returning to the homeland to work on various projects. You might not need to return home entirely to avoid external pressures and thus could focus more on music. I mention this because I recall the so-called "venture investment" with your Thien Thanh Band recently.

A: But if I had not returned home for an extended period, perhaps we would not have had a night concert like "Ve Kinh Bac" with the Thien Thanh Band or “Dawn”.

I always return whenever I can because my purpose is to go and then return. I still think that I am a very small part of my homeland, so when I have the opportunity to do something valuable and good for my homeland, I must do it immediately. My musical journey is an example of that "must do immediately" action.

With the steps I have taken over the past decades, I always hope and wish that Vietnam, in addition to strong economic development, will have more people paying attention to culture. When Vietnamese people show complete interest in their own culture, that culture and the artistic products from it will naturally spread widely, not only within the country but also around the world.

Thank you very much!

Image from the concert “Ve Kinh Bac" by the Thien Thanh Band in Hanoi in May 2024. (Photo: Artist Ngo Hong Quang).