With Fragments of Memories, I explore the saxophone’s rich and versatile sounds and techniques, such as the so-called “colorful bisbigliando” in which the soloist seamlessly improvise with different fingerings, multiphonics, overtones, and subtones to create a sound that constantly changes its “color” in free, unmetered rhythm. These sounds and techniques depict the fragments of sounds […]
Fragments of Memories for Solo Alto Saxophone Read More »
I composed The Nine Dragons as an homage to the Mekong River and other all suffering rivers of our time. The Mekong River flows through Tibet, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and reaches the sea through the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. In the Delta, the river is separated into nine estuaries, which the Vietnamese reverently refer
The Nine Dragons for Vietnamese Zither (Đàn Tranh) or Fixed Media and Orchestra Read More »
I composed Anio-san, Oukakutome as part of the Gamelan Intercultural Composition Project during the 2023 Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium. Inspired by the story of Princess Ngọc Hoa (玉華), also known as Princess Oukakutome or “Anio-san” in Japan, this composition explores the heart of a Vietnamese princess who transcended borders with love. During a time when Vietnam
While composing this work, I was so inspired by the poem A Hero’s Will [Chí Làm Trai] by Nguyễn Công Trứ (1778–1857), a Vietnamese poet, scholar, and military general. As a freedom-lover who lived in a strict Confucian society, where officialdom and social duties dictated people’s role and fate, he struggled to maintain his dignity, spirit,
So That Adventuring the Four Oceans is Worthwhile for Solo Organ Read More »
Piano Sonata No. 1 in B-flat Minor (“The Cave of Yellow Flowers”) was inspired by a story in Truyền Kỳ Mạn Lục [Collection of Strange Tales], a Vietnamese literature work composed by Nguyễn Dữ in the sixteenth century. The story is about Từ Thức, a young mandarin who resigned from the court to seek a
Sonata No. 1 in b-minor, “Cave of Golden Flowers” (2018) Read More »
My piece for solo flute is inspired by the poem The Pine Tree [Vịnh Cây Thông] by Nguyễn Công Trứ (1778–1858). Below are the original poem written by Nguyễn Công Trứ and my English translation. Please click here for the score video: https://youtu.be/X8sjwk6VzWU. Ngồi buồn mà trách ông xanh, Khi vui muốn khóc, buồn tênh lại
The Pine Tree for Solo Flute Read More »
According to Vietnamese legend, when the Mountain Spirit and Water Spirit fought for the hand of the beautiful princess Mỵ Nương, the Mountain Spirit finally won her over. Heart- broken and furious, the Water Spirit summoned fierce storms, rains, floods, and sea monsters to chase after the newlyweds. To protect the princess and many sentient
The Wrath of Water Spirit for Percussion Quartet Read More »
This composition draws inspiration from the Vietnamese response-singing genre Trống Quân, in which village youths sing extemporaneous love songs to each other while playing the drums in spring festivals. Let there be spring, youth, and passion! https://youtu.be/ynXJZyGL3UE Performed by Timpanist Jeffrey Kautz at the 2022 New York City Contemporary Music Symposium Concert, March 26, 2022.
Spring Rhythms for Solo Timpani Read More »
“The kindest ones are like water. The goodness of water benefits myriad things without the need for struggle. It dwells where others hate; thus, it is like the Way.” —Laozi “Only when the ship capsizes, would one realize the people are the water.” —Nguyễn Trãi “Be water! We are formless. We are shapeless. We can
Fantasia on the Theme of “Lưu Thuỷ” (Flowing Water) for String Quartet Read More »
In 2020, the police killing of George Floyd set off a global wave of both peaceful and non-peaceful protests against racism. As a Vietnamese student in the United States, I frequently encountered narratives that pitted people of color against each other, despite the shared experience of being victims of racism, white supremacy, and intolerance. Such
Through the Daughter’s Eyes for chamber orchestra Read More »
