01-12-2013

Blind Sport

Date & Time: 8pm – Sunday, Dec. 01st 2013

Venue: Hanoi Cheo Theatre – 15 Nguyen Dinh Chieu

Blind Spot is the main theme of Hanoi New Music Festival this year. Blind spots always exist in every vision, Hanoi New Music Festival 2013 has commissioned 5 new productions from local musicians and artists to manifest the remaining “invisible” spots of Vietnamese experimental scene. All Vietnamese authors share a strong interest in the sensitive turning point between the past and the present or, in other words, the cultural zones with interruption of time and space.

This is the official opening event for Hanoi New Music Festival 2013.

1. CIRCLE OF LIFE

The piece is based on two characters who represent two different generations, who can also symbolize for the circle of creation. As the previous generation moved into the past, it left behind messages to the contemporary one who at the same time receive signals from the external world. How will they deal with these messages? They might deny or lose the values of the other. Or they might harmonize and transform them, and continue to pass them onto the next generation.

The dialogue between the two generations expressed by the languages of two different art mediums will take us on a journey to explore the mystery of life – a perspective, an attitude upon conflicting and interrupted values.

Music: Pham Thi Hue

Vocal, phach, pipa: Pham Thi Hue

Hiphop dance: Vũ Tùng Phương

2. PIANO AND CONCRETE DRILLING AND CUTTING

The ten-minute piece derived from the idea to record the noise of concrete drilling and cutting as my neighbours repaired their home. The terribly drastic, violent and persistent noise lasted several weeks … On the first few days tolerating the noise of concrete drilling and cutting, I tried to shut down and cower, but as I’ve reached my limit, I opened windows and sat at the piano to .. ‘beat and demolish’ with the desire to harmonize with the horrible noise out there, but not enough to give way to anger, vice versa, that would destroy both the piano and the ears themselves. Finally, some soothing tunes from piano – based on the sound of concrete drilling and cutting which was recorded and remixed on the computer – helped to create this piece.

Music: Vu Nhat Tan

Piano & sound tape: Vu Nhat Tan

3.  WAITING FOR WIND TO FLY A KITE

Tiny sounds are not enough to overwhelm loud noise. They have to wait for a falling spot to raise their voice. Moves are not strong enough to carry themselves; they need a ‘falling spot’ from a previous power to operate. Small fates are too weak to overcome themselves and they need a falling spot at some point in their lives.Correspondingly, they do not compromise or confront the seemingly impossible they hide themselves waiting for the “falling spot’’oft he ‘big statues’ to find an opportunity to raise their voice and the meaning of their existence.

Choreography & Dance: Nguyen Anh Duc

Jew-harp, vocal & percussion: Nguyen Duc Minh

Dance: Mai Nhu Quynh

4.  Shhhh

Music is a minor part in numerous sounds which we are able to hear on an active or passive basic. Among them, there are sounds that we wish to hear and ones we do not- all create a complex essence of life. The piece Shhh is shaped from simple and tiny elements, in which normal sounds in daily life reappear through instruments. Each minute of the piece is the process of assembling various mechanical and electronic sounds, producing multiple layers, structures and images relating to the stereoscopic interference of modern society.

Music: Nguyen Manh Hung

Electric guitar: Nguyen Manh Hung

Drums: Nguyen Dinh Nghia (Bom)

5.   FALL INTO SLEEP

As if asleep, a man has a dream in which he finds himself back in time one hundred years in a totally strange form. The man in the dream is looking for something… SonX combines violin, tranh, percussions, laptop and theatre moves to create his latest piece.

Music, direction, performance: SonX

Dance: Nguyen Duc Manh

Violin: Dao Van Trung

Dan tranh: Nguyen Thanh Huyen

Electronic: Luong Hue Trinh