'Sound Wave Dialogues': From Sound to Interdisciplinary Creativity

As part of the series of activities in response to the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival 2025, on November 5, the discussion "Sound Wave Dialogue" took place at the Hanoi Museum. The event was organized by the Hanoi Museum in collaboration with the Len Ngan group (content curator) and Catch the Wave (program producer).

According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Da, Director of Hanoi Museum, “Sound Wave Dialogue” is the academic kick-off for the art program “Eternal Moments” which will be launched on the evening of November 8 at Hanoi Museum. This is also a journey to listen to Vietnamese identity with new ears - where sound becomes the language connecting the past, present and future.

Artists exchange at the discussion "Sound Wave Dialogue"

The seminar brings together researchers, artists, cultural managers and sound experts to open up a new approach to the relationship between Vietnamese language, tones and sound waves, and at the same time introduce the academic and artistic concepts that are the foundation for “Eternal Moments”.

The seminar is designed as an open dialogue between researchers, artists and cultural managers, focusing on three main areas: Connecting academia and creativity; creating new approaches and shaping Vietnamese creative discourse.

The seminar consists of two main parts, in which the first part with the topic "Sound waves, tones and memories of Vietnamese language", scholars focus on analyzing the relationship between the way sounds, tones and musicality of Vietnamese reflect the thoughts, emotions and cultural memories of Vietnamese people over thousands of years.

Coming from the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, Dr. Tran Hau Yen The believes that Vietnam’s cultural heritage gives us confidence and a rich source of data on tone, pitch, and performing arts. Art can help people “live slower”, keeping tourists with emotional experiences.

According to Mr. The, enhancing visual elements in performances makes the art space more lively and attractive; especially when the rhythm and performance are harmoniously combined, creating a unique experience.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism, emphasized the role of cultural policy and intangible heritage research as the foundation for building the "indigenous acoustics" industry, contributing to the preservation and development of Vietnamese cultural values in the future.

Ms. Phuong said that Vietnamese language and sounds are rich in melody. However, Vietnam currently lacks interdisciplinary research projects - from linguistics, musicology to cultural studies to exploit language as a core value in intangible cultural heritage. Therefore, she highly appreciated the interdisciplinary initiative of Hanoi Museum in opening a forum to discuss and approach this issue.

In the second part of the discussion on “Artistic Practice: From Sound to Indigenous Creativity”, the artists shared their practical approach in “touching” the sonic heritage and transforming it into a new creative language - when artists turn sound waves into a creative language.

Swiss artist Dominique Barthassat expands on the concept of “sound architecture,” seeing it as a creative approach where space becomes the instrument and sound becomes the space.

According to him, in the field of acoustic architecture, digital technology can become a supporting factor for the development of traditional culture and art without distorting or distorting the original value. The structure and design of architectural space will help diffuse and resonate sound effects through digital applications. This is the modern factor that can promote and highlight the value of tradition.

Next, artist Nguyen Xuan Son (SonX) presented the connection between traditional sounds and body rhythms - how folk instruments become "expressive language" in contemporary music. Painter Nguyen Manh Duc shared about the stilt house as a "living musical instrument" - where art, objects and memories blend together through sound.

Many delegates and artists attended the discussion.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Quoc Hoang Anh introduced the art performance program “Eternal Moment” as a curatorial method - bringing heritage sounds into the creative ecosystem, combining science and art.

According to Nguyen Quoc Hoang Anh, “Sound Wave Dialogue” is not only a discussion, but also a journey of listening to Vietnamese identity through sound, language and creativity, towards a comprehensive culture of hearing - seeing - feeling in the new era.

“Eternal Moments” is a meeting between heritage and contemporary creativity, between Vietnamese and Swiss artists, to create a new experience of sound, space and cultural memory. The program brings together works of art - where folk instruments, Vietnamese language, electronic sounds and visual images blend together, evoking emotions about identity, time and the longevity of Vietnamese culture in the global flow.

Source: https://congluan.vn/doi-thoai-song-am-tu-am-thanh-den-sang-tao-lien-nganh-10316705.html