Surprise with Bond ‘To Nu’
The concert kicked off with the image of four artists in Ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) holding violins on stage, with a backdrop featuring the To Nu (Virgin Girls) folk paintings from Hang Trong. The audience erupted with joy as images of the To Nu paintings transitioned into the Tu Binh folk paintings followed by visuals of four iconic architectural structures in Vietnam, four representative rivers, and four famous landscapes.
Director Pham Hoang Nam expressed that he was initially quite puzzled when choosing a suitable concept for Bond’s music, as their band is so famous and their music is familiar in the everyday lives of Vietnamese people at many events and festivals.
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Director Pham Hoang Nam talks to the press after the show. |
“Our main idea was for the four women in Ao dai to appear against the LED screen of To Nu folk paintings. It was a great idea, but it was not easy to convince them because, for violinists, comfort in their attire is prioritised for their arms,” said Director Hoang Nam.
Promoting Vietnamese culture through high-class world music is a continuous focus of the “Good Morning Vietnam” project. With the To Nu artwork, the team not only had to persuade but also explain the long story connected to the painting to the music group. Fortunately, they understood and immediately supported the idea.
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Promoting Vietnamese culture through top world music is the direction throughout the Good Morning Vietnam project. |
“Right before the performance, they even tried on the Ao dai and practiced to ensure it looked as beautiful as envisioned. Ultimately, they were very happy with the coordination of each image,” director Nam shared.
Choosing the Ao dai for the opening performance was a significant consideration for the team. Director Nam noted that there are many types of fabric on the market suitable for the band’s comfort during performance, including imported stretchy fabrics. However, the team wanted to select a fabric typical of Vietnam, carrying deep cultural meanings, and nothing was more fitting than silk.
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However, silk is a challenging fabric to work with, especially when the wearer needs to perform many movements. Therefore, the designer’s solution was to make loose and comfortable outfits that were still fitted enough to showcase the women’ beauty while ensuring comfort for the band members during the performance.
Thus, the image of the four women in Vietnamese silk Ao dai against the backdrop of the To Nu paintings left an unforgettable impression from the very start for those attending the concert at the National Convention Centre.
Combining Eastern and Western culture
The most surprising aspect for the audience, which the organisers kept as a secret until the end, was an incredible blend of Vietnamese culture and Bond’s music. The stage was a vibrant painting of the connection between two cultures, merging European music with traditional Vietnamese art.
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Director Pham Hoang Nam mentioned that the majority of the team’s ideas exceeded expectations on stage. If they hadn’t been so constrained by time, everything could have been even better.
“The working time between our team and the Bond band was extremely limited. We executed the programme in just two hours. The rehearsal concluded only one hour before the show started. The results achieved on stage were due to their professionalism. They may not have a large team, but they are very skilled. I have worked a lot with foreign bands, so I am accustomed to their working methods.”
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The stage features the image of a violin and the seductive curves of a girl. |
The stage for the performance was also where director Pham Hoang Nam introduced unique ideas for Bond’s music.
Director Nam explained that his team brought images from Tu Binh folk paintings, beautiful scenes of Vietnam, four seasons of flowers, four Vietnamese girls, Vietnamese architecture, and others to the stage.
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Vietnamese landscapes are shown at the concert |
We searched for symbols suited to the number four in Eastern culture to add diversity to the programme, the director noted.
The images evoking a connection between Eastern and Western cultures create a sense of cohesion, blending seamlessly with Bond’s musical performances. During the performance of the piece “Shine”, ancient architectural features of the Cham Tower appeared.
“We’re not sure how effective it will be, but we can see part of it through the audience’s reactions and feelings,” shared director Nam.
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The greatest success of the programme is that for the first time, Bond performed in a country following the cultural narrative of that country, which was unprecedented for Bond.
Director Nam stated that he got the idea from the concept of combining Eastern and Western cultures and promoting Vietnamese culture and tourism through world-class music as part of the “Good Morning Vietnam” project, organised by Nhan Dan Newspaper and IB Group. From there, he thought about creating a stage that combined elements of both East and West, Vietnam and the world.
Meaningful music project
“Good Morning Vietnam” is an international music project with deep significance, organised by Nhan Dan Newspaper and IB Group. It not only brings world-class music to Vietnam but also promotes Vietnam’s culture and tourism, starting with the filming of a music video for tourism promotion. Additionally, profits are directed toward charitable and social service activities.
Thu Huong, an audience member from Dong Da District, Hanoi, shared after the concert: “I was very surprised to see the band appear against the backdrop of iconic Vietnamese cultural images like Dong Ho folk paintings, Hang Trong paintings, as well as famous landscapes, temples, and towers of Vietnam. I was also delighted with the idea of the women in the band wearing Ao dai. The concert was truly wonderful, visually and sonically stunning.”
Nguyen Thi Huong, a music lecturer at an international school, commented: “The highlight of the performance was ‘Winter’ from Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’. This version brought a fresh breeze, completely different from what I usually see in classical music. Bond's music is not only technically excellent but also full of emotion, causing listeners to feel like they are lost in a world full of art and creativity.”
Violinist Trinh Minh Hien, who also pursues the dream of bringing Vietnamese culture to the world through music, remarked: “This is Bond’s third time to Vietnam, and this performance felt more like a cherished reunion than just a concert. As a professional, I believe Bond still maintains its class, despite being famous for a long time. The highlight of the show was the Ao dai and To Tu paintings...”
“Thank you to Nhan Dan Newspaper and IB Group for coming up with such a significant idea — to organise a music show honouring instrumental musicians worldwide. There are so many events for singers and songs, but very few for instrumentalists, especially ones like Bond,” said artist Trinh Minh Hien.
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Bond artirsts receive flowers from Nhan Dan Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Le Quoc Minh and IB Group Chairman Nguyen Thuy Duong. |
For professionals like director Pham Hoang Nam, the “Good Morning Vietnam” programme not only has great meaning for the community in terms of promoting Vietnamese culture and tourism and bringing world-class art to Vietnamese audiences but also contributes to raising the standards of event organisation and professional execution in Vietnam.
“This is my first time participating in ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ as a director, not just a member of the audience. I believe we need more programmes like this. Beyond the profound significance it brings to audiences and Vietnamese cultural tourism, it also elevates the standards of event organisation and even the audience’s level of enjoyment,” the director affirmed.
