The breakthrough of Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh

Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh, who has been dedicated to the two-stringed fiddle (dan nhi) for 40 years, has just released the music video "Horse Hooves on the Clouds," combining the dan nhi with the music of electronic instruments.

Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh revealed that she had long harboured the idea of ​​making the music video " Horse Hooves on the Clouds" because she wanted to elevate the sound of the two-stringed fiddle (Dan Nhi) to a new level. And when all the necessary elements came together, such as her professional maturity and the right team, the music video was successfully created.   It was born with so much joy and truly fulfills the artistic path she is pursuing and dedicating herself to.

Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh has been dedicated to the two-stringed fiddle (dan nhi) for 40 years.

This is also her second music video after "Crossing the Forest" from the album "Ling" released in 2023 and the album "Oh, the Cranes" released in 2007. Throughout more than 40 years of dedication and performance with the erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle), Thuy Anh has elevated the sound of the erhu to a new level with her masterful technique, fully utilized in a work that brings together all her skills and the pinnacle of academic achievement written specifically for the erhu.

Through the exquisite combination of bowing (right-hand technique) – often called the soul of the sound – and the masterful use of left-hand techniques for plucking, vibrato, and glissando, Thùy Anh has brilliantly expressed every nuance of complex music , from gentle to powerful and utterly expansive. Thùy Anh has transformed a purely instrumental piece written specifically for traditional instruments into a highly contemporary musical product.

Against the backdrop of electronic instruments, Thùy Anh employed rapid bow movements and continuous bouncing techniques to create vibrato, enhancing each climactic passage and short, dramatic note. Furthermore, her sharp finger gliding technique produced a smooth, resonant sound, while her subtle touch of the strings at certain note positions for soaring, clear high notes truly impressed the listener.

Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh in the music video "Horse Hooves on the Clouds".

Thùy Anh not only transcended the boundaries of a typical erhu player but also challenged passages with a wide vocal range by seamlessly switching hand positions and rapidly vibrating between main and secondary notes, creating highly sophisticated and impressive vocal embellishments.

True to the spirit of "Horses on the Clouds," what makes this piece special is Thuy Anh's use of a unique technique to simulate the distant, nostalgic neighing of horses, along with the technique of striking the strings with the wooden part of the bow with varying pressure. All of this creates a full range of emotions and distinct colors, from soft and whispering to intense, reflecting the essence of her serious work throughout her career.

Besides her skillful musical performance, she met director Hai Le Cao – who she considers to have a special connection with since their collaboration on the music video "Crossing the Forest" in 2023. With a highly dedicated team, Hai Le Cao chose Ha Giang, one of the most beautiful regions in Northwest Vietnam, as the setting for this music video.

The Nho Que River makes a striking appearance in the music video.

The Nho Que River, with its distinctive emerald green color, meanders around majestic mountains and golden rice fields stretching to the horizon, creating a harmonious whole. She also challenged herself by playing the instrument on mountaintops, on rafts along the Nho Que River, or riding a horse on winding mountain roads—things she never thought she could do to fully convey the soul of the work.

“The erhu has been with me for over 40 years, bringing me certain successes both domestically and internationally . Placing the erhu in its rightful place so that people can learn more about it is not simply a tribute to this dear friend, but also a responsibility of an artist like me. I want more people, especially young people, to know about the erhu, so that its sound is appreciated and preserved. That is my goal and my pursuit. No matter how developed a country becomes, its national culture remains the core for clear recognition among international friends.”

Thuy Anh was awarded the title of Meritorious Artist by the State in 2019.

And Thuy Anh has fulfilled her aspirations through this work. It's not an exaggeration to say that Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh is almost a pioneering artist playing the two-stringed fiddle in Vietnam, bringing traditional Vietnamese music closer to the public through modern arrangements that reflect the breath of life.

Thùy Anh has made an immense contribution to the preservation of national culture in her own unique way, and the art scene in general, and the field of traditional musical instrument performance in particular, will mention her as a phenomenon when discussing the flow of contemporary Vietnamese art.

"Horses Galloping Through the Clouds" has been hailed as an outstanding work written specifically for the erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle) through the dedicated contribution of Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh. It is like a gift from her to the audience who have loved her and the erhu for so long, as well as a personal gift to herself on her birthday.

Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh was born in 1977. Her father is a erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle) artist (Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre), and her older sister is a violinist (Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre). Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh is currently a erhu instructor in the Traditional Musical Instruments Department at the Hanoi College of Arts and a member of the Co La group.

Pham Manh Cuong

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Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/buoc-dot-pha-cua-nsut-thuy-anh-2517117.html