Tri Nguyen
- Release
- 08/11/2023
About
Tri began studying the piano at age five in Vietnam with French-trained teachers. After graduation from the Music Conservatory of Saigon, he continued his studies at the École Normale de Musique de Paris with great teachers such as Jacques Lagarde, himself a former student of Marguerite Long and Clara Haskil; then Ramzi Yassa, the concert virtuoso trained in Moscow, with whom he discovered the great Russian piano tradition.
Born in South Vietnam to a literati family strongly attached to its ancestral culture, Tri’s parents believed that studying the piano was not enough for his musical education, and found an old zither master with whom he began to study the đàn-tranh (Vietnamese zither). Zither master Hai Biểu was one of the last musicians belonging to the old school of Vietnamese music.
Thus, from an early age, Tri divided his time between two cultures – two musical worlds. The piano represents his family’s opening to the Western world; the đàn-tranh reflects the importance of the ancient traditions of Vietnam.
Tri is the only concert musician in the world to master both the piano and the đàn-tranh. His concerts are unique moments in which the piano repertoire is followed by melodies from the distant past of Vietnam, revived by Tri’s passionate desire to preserve and promote his ancestral musical heritage. Tri still uses the old annotation system for his đàn-tranh scores, where words are used instead of notes, contrary to his western music training. Unfortunately, this annotation is generally no longer used and has been replaced by the Western music system.
Tri has performed in Vietnam, the United States and Europe. He has collaborated with eminent artists from The United States, Canada, France, Scotland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Africa, Argentina, Venezuela..., most of whom are Grammy and International Awards recipients. His music has been aired around the world such as on BBC Radio 3, M21 Spain, Concertzender FM Netherlands, France Culture, Protestant Frequency, Radio RMA, Radio RCF, Demain TV-France, Mundo Internacional Mexico, and others.
His debut album, ‘Consonnances’, combining the ancient homeland melodies of the đàn-tranh with the Western harmonies of a classical string quartet, received instant international acclaim. The press and publications, as diverse as Songlines, Voix des Arts and World Music Central, praise ‘Consonnances’ for the beauty of its conception and execution, with Songlines quoting: “in Zither Master Tri Nguyen, Vietnam has a fine ambassador...”. In Vietnam, the press describes Tri Nguyen as a musician who revives and places Vietnamese music on international stages.
In Summer 2015, ‘Consonnances’ received the USA Global Music Award’s Gold Medal in the World Music Category and was chosen as one of the top ten albums of 2015. In November the same year, the album received another Award from AKADEMIA USA for Best Album (Instrumental/Classical category).
Since 2016, Tri has been a voting member of the Academy Awards/NARAS and is Honorary Judge at the Global Music Awards USA.
To date, Tri has released four albums, one EP and five singles and has received awards from the IMA (New York), GMA (USA), OWMR (UK) and AKADEMIA Music Awards (USA). His albums have made their way to the first round of the Grammy Awards for several years in a row.
For this album, “Duos–Alone”, Tri plays both the đàn-tranh and the piano on pieces he started composing for his now late mother during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Discover more from Tri Nguyen
Website www.tringuyen.fr
Instagram @tri_nguyen888
Facebook @Tri Nguyen
TikTok @tringuyenmusicofficial
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World Music/Contemporary | World Music/Traditional | Classical | New Age
Links
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Duos – Alone, The Latest Album From Vietnamese Virtuoso Tri Nguyen – Releases 11th August 2023 on Naxos World
TRI NGUYEN
- The only concert musician in the world to master both the piano and the đàn-tranh (Vietnamese zither).
- Tri Nguyen is perhaps the last of his generation to safeguard the old school playing techniques of the đàn-tranh.
- Previous album ‘Consonnances’ received the USA Global Music Award’s Gold Medal in the World Music Category and the Award from AKADEMIA USA for Best Album
Tri Nguyen, classical pianist and đàn tranh (Vietnamese zither) master, presents 14 enchanting pieces composed in the form of a heartfelt letter to his late mother. With his bicultural upbringing, Tri showcases his mastery of the piano, at times reciting Bach, Vivaldi, Ravel… as well as his profound knowledge of the ancient techniques of đàn tranh playing.
An elegant blend of ancient and modern, Western and Asian, touching on tales of his childhood, the challenges of Covid-19 and his profound love and gratitude for his mother.
“In Zither Master Tri Nguyen, Vietnam has a bfine ambassador...” – Songlines
DUOS – ALONE
Album Release Date: Friday 11th August 2023
Album Title: Duos – Alone
Artist: Tri Nguyen
Catalogue#: NXW76167-2
Label: Naxos World
Barcode: 636943716724
Genre: Classical Piano/ Vietnam
Audio: HD
Singles:
That Bicycle Ride (Released 7th July 2023)
Sigh Of Sorrow (Released 21st July 2023)
Weeping Mango Leaves (Released 4th August 2023)
PRESS RELEASE
Duos-Alone - the latest album from Vietnamese virtuoso Tri Nguyen – releases 11th August 2023 on Naxos World.
For Tri Nguyen, Duos-Alone is a deeply personal project. Composed as a musical letter of love to his late mother, the album explores Tri’s intimate thoughts on life, family, culture, the value of memories and the profound impact of maternal devotion. These private contemplations are shared through the sounds of the piano and the Vietnamese zither known as the đàn-tranh. Nguyen’s mastery of these instruments is matched by his ingenuity.
Early in the first lockdown of 2020, Tri felt the whisper of inspiration in his Paris apartment while gazing at a painting his parents had given him. With both instruments in view, notes formed in his mind. With restrictions in place, collaboration was out of the question, so Nguyen embarked on his unique musical journey. Composing and then playing each instrument’s part individually to match his imagination, he then blended both with considerable skill in the studio. The result is the aptly titled Duos-Alone. Two distinct instrumental voices harmonized by one outstanding artist.
Through Duos-Alone, Tri Nguyen opens his heart to share his hopes, worries, loneliness, and longings during the world’s most challenging time. While he bravely bares his pain, the artist captivatingly conveys his gratitude, understanding and appreciation of everything a mother can give. Overwhelmingly, there is a feeling of love.
The themes of love, memory and understanding are perhaps best explored in the album’s first single, That Bicycle Ride, which releases on 7th July 2023. Here, Tri revisits the memory of his parents eventually allowing him to ride through the streets of Saigon on his bicycle unaccompanied in reward for his efforts at school and music. Featuring patterns reminiscent of Mozart’s Fantasia in D minor, K. 397, one feels a palpable sense of youthful wonder, exhilaration, and freedom.
Given the album’s inspiration, there is little surprise that the listener will experience various emotions. The second single – released on 21st July 2023 – is Sigh of Sorrow. Based on Bach’s aria from The Goldberg Variations, Nguyen merges the tune with a treasure of ancient Vietnamese music – the instrumental from Nam Ai - Sadness of the South – to produce a profound piece of melancholia. Weeping Mango Leaves, the third and final single from the album releasing 4th August 2023, explores the importance of respecting tradition, remembering the departed, and how understanding one’s own culture can free you to appreciate and learn about others.
Tri Nguyen is a child of two cultures. Born in South Vietnam, he studied piano under French-trained professors from age five. His proficiency with one of the Western musical world’s most popular instruments is balanced by his commitment to his ancestral culture. Tri is the only concert musician in the world to master both the piano and the đàn-tranh. He has performed in Vietnam, Europe, and the United States and has collaborated with eminent artists from across the globe, with his music aired worldwide.
Join Tri Nguyen for Duos-Alone, where we learn that grief may be love simply persisting and that with memories, we are never truly alone.
Source: ARC Music - Naxos World
*****
A Naxos World Production
Đàn-tranh (Vietnamese Zither) and piano: Tri Nguyen
Art director: Tri Nguyen
Music composed by: Tri Nguyen
Sound engineer, mixing, mastering: Thomas Vingtrinier at Studio Sequenza, France
Liner notes: Tri Nguyen
Cover photo and design: Chris Ferensson
Booklet photos: Tung Nguyen and Tri Nguyen
Assistant photographer to Tung Nguyen: ZenFuto
Product design: Sarah Wanstall
℗ & © 2023, ARC Music Productions International Ltd.
Dispatch Details
| Release Format: | Album |
| Release Type: | Digital & Physical |
| Country: | USA |
| Distributor: | Naxos |
| Record Label: | Naxos World |
| Release Title: | Duos – Alone |
