The Founders of Tieng Hat Que Huong

PHẠM THÚY HOAN

Pham Thuy Hoan was born on Jun. 26, 1942 in Nam Dinh, Vietnam. After studying the Dan Tranh at the Saigon National School of Drama and Music, she achieved the Gold Medal from Saigon National School of Drama and Music in 1960 and graduated as the best of her class in 1962.

In 1966 she became the leader of the Hoa Sim National Music and Folk Song Group, including Prof. Phuong Oanh in France, Quynh Hanh, Huyen Tran and Ngoc Dung, and also worked as guest professor at the Hue National School of Music.

After her graduation she became professor at the Saigon National School of Drama and Music (the school was renamed to HCMC Conservatory in 1975) until she retired in 1997.

Despite retirement, Pham Thuy Hoan is still committed to the traditional music of Vietnam and works as director of Tieng Hat Que Huong which she founded in 1981. Here she gathers all generations from young to old and teach them playing dan tranh. Thanks to her committment she made her students to young talents carrying on the traditional music.

Pham Thuy Hoan is an excellent teacher. To help promoting the dan tranh she has written many famous studybooks which are also easy to self study. In 1993 she was awarded the Diploma of Merit from the Ministry of Culture and Information for excellent performance in training Young Talents winning high prizes in international and national professional contests. In 1994 she received the title of "Eminent Teacher" from the Ministry of Education and the medal "Excellent Contribution to education activity" in 1995.

Now her students are spread all over the world and help bring the vietnamese traditional music to vietnamese communities as well as performing traditional music abroad.

NGUYỄN HẢI PHƯỢNG

As one of her mother's best students, Nguyen Hai Phuong began to become acquainted with the Dan Tranh at the age of five and was admitted to the Conservatory of Ho Chi Minh City two years later. After nine years of study she finished the higher dan tranh education and graduated from the Conservatory five years later as the best of her class. She won the silver medal at Ho Chi Minh City's Festival of Singers, Dancers and Professional Musicians 1989 and three years later in 1992 the first prize at the "National Competition of Dan Tranh Young Talents" for her interpretation of new compositions.

Beside her mother and her sister Hai Yen, Hai Phuong is co-founder of Tieng Hat Que Huong.

Hai Phuong has performed in many concerts and international music festivals and exchanges in Japan, China, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, etc... Besides, her CD "Le dan tranh - Musiques d'hier et d'aujourd'hui" with Prof. Tran Van Khe, recorded in 1993 in Paris, was awarded a special prize, judged by prestige musician group of the world.

Now she follows the steps of her mother Pham Thuy Hoan and teaches the Dan Tranh at the Conservatory of HCMC.

NGUYỄN HẢI YẾN

Nguyen Hai Yen entered the Conservatory in HCMC in 1979 studied for 6 straight years the dan tranh. She then turned her major into World's Percursions and graduated in 1989 as an outstanding student. At the competition for Dan Tam Thap Luc 1981/1982 Hai Yen won the first prize. Right after her graduation she started her career as a professional musician and has performed in many countries such as South Korea, China, Hongkong, Macao, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, France, Germany, Belgium... Together with her mother Pham Thuy Hoan and her sister Hai Phuong she founded Tieng Hat Que Huong.

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