This year's theme Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) Year of the Monkey 22 January 2004 - 8 February 2005

Food, Fun and Entertainment
including
Dance and Song of
Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam

and featuring the

Nguyen Dinh Nghia Family Ensemble
>click here for link to audio-video site

Nguyen Dinh Nghia* was born in Saigon, and as one of Vietnam's premier flutists and master of the t'rung or bamboo xylophone, he has has been an important figure in the preservation of Vietnamese arts. He has performed in France and throughout Southeast Asia, and spent nine years living with the Bahnar and Rade tribes of the Central Highlands, learning their music and acquiring traditional instruments. In 1984, he settled in the U.S. with his family. He has passed his knowledge on to his children, all of whom play Vietnamese music. His daughter Doan Trang graduated from the Saigon Conservatory of Music, and specializes in the tam thap luc, a 36-string Zither. Daughter Nam Phuong is particularly accomplished on the dan bau, a monochord unique to Vietnam, which she studied with some of Vietnam's foremost masters. Eldest son, Nguyen Dinh Nghi plays guitar, an instrument popular in Vietnam for the past 50 years. The youngest members of the group are twin sons Chien (war) and Hoa (peace). Nguyen Dinh Chien plays t'rung (bamboo xylophone). Nguyen Dinh Hoa plays mo phach or wooden bell. The Nguyen Dinh Nghia and Family Ensemble has toured the U.S., performing at universities, colleges and festivals. They have appeared at the Smithsonian Institution and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Folk Masters in 1993.

*Although Nguyen Dinh Nghia himself is currently experiencing poor health, the other ensemble members will be here for what is expected to be a very special Tet performance. >Click here for additional information on the Vietnamese Instruments of the ensemble.

contact quang.van@yale.edu or indriyo.sukmono@yale.edu
for information or to volunteer assistance


>Click here to see photo scrapbook from last year's Festival 2003 (which featured Balinese Dancers from the Indonesian Consulate, NYC)