“GOm show” - telling Vietnamese music stories with ceramics

At the information meeting about the “GOm show” project on the afternoon of June 10, in Hanoi, artist Dinh Anh Tuan said that “GOm show” is a creative music art project, inspired by ceramic culture. The project name both evokes ceramics and carries the meaning of searching for traditional Vietnamese culture. “GOm show” combines indigenous music and a system of creative musical instruments made from ceramics, terracotta, bamboo, water... initiated and performed by the Dan Do group.

"GOm show" performance space. Photo: Organizing Committee

In addition to the familiar members of the Dan Do group such as Dinh Anh Tuan, Nguyen Duc Minh, Nguyen Quang Su, the program has the participation of 10 young artists, all of whom are talented faces, well-trained in traditional musical instruments, passionate and creative, participating in the performance. The young artists and the Dan Do group had a time working together, creating, and building music for the program.

Artists share about the "GOm show" project. Photo: TT

According to artist Nguyen Duc Minh, unlike regular music performances, “GOm show” does not have a narrator, but the ceramic turntable and the evocative sounds from ceramic instruments such as jars, pots, and pans will guide the audience.

Following the rotation of the pottery, the show space becomes a journey of "morning - festival - afternoon - return". The audience will experience a new day starting with the sound of chickens echoing from the heart of the mountain, the moonlight giving way to dawn, the sun shining on the top of the forest. The sound leads to the scene of a lush harvest, full of life everywhere. The bustling village festival scene, confessions and promises of a wedding in the ripe rice season... and then closes in the sunset... From "Return", "That Time", "Downstream" to "Find Hani", "Gom"... each chapter in the show is a unique voice from indigenous ethnic communities such as M'nong, Tay, Lo Lo, Nung Din, E De, Ha Nhi...

Artist Nguyen Quang Su continues to be the researcher and, together with his colleagues, creates the musical instruments used in the program. These are the jar drum (using a ceramic jar and inner tube to create a super low sound like a giant bass); the lang drum (shaped like a rice cake, with a warm low sound like an echo from the ground); the ceramic gong and ceramic bell (creating sound from baked clay with a unique timbre structure, each one is a separate sound entity); rotating pottery (resonating by rotating the mouth of the pottery, creating a soft reverberation effect); the clay pot (gentle sound reverberating from a clay pot)...

The program has the participation of many young, talented artists. Photo: Organizing Committee

Combining folk instruments, creative instruments and performance elements, “GOm show” brings an unprecedented musical experience, both realistic and dreamlike.

“GOm show” not only marks a new milestone in the artistic journey of the Dan Do group, but also opens a special step forward in the flow of contemporary Vietnamese art with creative music based on indigenous cultural materials, with a new system of musical instruments made from ceramics and terracotta, bringing completely new sounds. The project is a continuation and transfer between two generations of artists – experienced founders and a generation of young artists with great potential.

Artist Dinh Anh Tuan said that “GOm show” is not only for Vietnamese audiences, it is aimed at international tourists to introduce local music. After the premiere, “GOm show” is expected to be held regularly to serve domestic and international audiences.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/gom-show-ke-chuyen-am-nhac-viet-bang-gom-705150.html