Internationlly acclaimed Dan Bau player, Pham Duc Thanh was born in Ninh Binh, Northern Vietnam,in 1956. Displaying a remarkable musical aptitude as a child, Duc Thanh was already playing the Dan Bau (monochord) as well as the Dan Tranh (16-string zither) and Dan Nhi (two- string fiddle) by the age of six. In 1974, Duc Thanh moved to Ha noi, where he studied at a popular traditional theatre school and joined the leading Hat cheo theatre group as a Dan Bau player. After attending Saigon’s Research Center for Music, he went on to become one of country’s top Dan Bau players of traditional and contemporary music.

In August 1990, Duc Thanh and his wife - singer Lieu Nguyet Lan - left Vietnam and went to Germany for several years before emigrating to Canada in 1996.

Today, the Montréal-based multi-instrumentalist is known as one of the word’s leading exponents of traditional Vietnamese music.

EDUCATION

• 1983:
  • University of Vietnamese Folk Music, Saigon
  • Diploma in folk music, with the monochord as a main instrument
  • Study of more than ten other Vietnamese instruments
• 1978:
  • School of Folk Music, Hanoi
  • Diploma in monochord

AWARDS AND BURSARIES

• 1984: First place, International Monochord Competition (Vietnam)
• 1983: First Prizewinner- monochord, University of Vietnamese Folk Music (Vietnam)
• 1978: First Prizewinner, School of Folk Music (Vietnam)

I had the pleasure to meet Duc Thanh during his fifth year at the University where he was taking a class in Traditional Music.

Through our acquaintance, I had the opportunity to witness his extensive knowledge of traditional, popular, and experimental music from all three regions of Vietnam. Duc Thanh has an exceptional mastery of the Vietnamese monocord and he can also play a variety of other instruments such as the Dan Nguyet (instrument in form of the full moon) , the Dàn nhi ( instrument with 2 strings) , and the theatrical drums with great ease. In addition, he also possesses a great talent in the art of possession singing , known as a tradition of the North Vietnam.

Duc Thanh’s repertory is further enriched of several folk songs from other countries. His instrument technique has been refined through the years to reach an unsurpassed degree of mastery and virtuosity. Conscious of the value of the traditions that he has preserved while remaining open to innovations, Duc Thanh has been able to protect the originality and cultural identity of Vietnamese music against the assimilation and the hybridization that could have impoverished it.

I wholeheartedly support his applications for grants and financial assistance that will allow him to continue his work to improve the acoustic qualities and performing techniques of instruments. Financial aid will also assist Duc Thanh in his research to perfect teaching methods for music, for example through the use of computers.

I would also recommend his candidature to obtain a Masters degree in Ethnic Music when he gains a more solid mastery of the French language.