Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thuyet Phong is a music researcher at Kent Institute (America). He used to teach at many universities and conservatories of music in the world. On the occasion of visiting Binh Dinh to attend a conference on Dao Tan – a cultural celebrity, Binh Dinh newspaper reporter had an interview with him about some issues on Dao Tan and Vietnamese traditional culture.
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Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thuyet Phong (first from right) performs Vietnamese traditional music. Photo Phong-nguyen.com
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Q: What do you think of Dao Tan?
A: It seems that there exist many people in one Dao Tan. Dao Tan’s Tuong (Vietnamese classical drama) always contains languages of all fields and, internationally, he can be well-matched to other playwrights. He should be, therefore, respected as a cultural celebrity.
Q: What did you do to honor Dao Tan abroad?
A: Whenever teaching Vietnamese music abroad, I always mention Vietnamese classical drama in Binh Dinh. It is not only the tradition of a province but a distinctive symbol of Vietnam. Also, in my studies on Vietnamese traditional music, there is always an introduction about Dao Tan because he has a great concern from other music researchers as well. Lists of Dao Tan were also published in such encyclopedias as Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, and Iwanami Shoten. Alongside these, we wrote an article about Dao Tan in the Vietnamese Music magazine published its first number in 1989, which helped researchers abroad know him.
Q: In your opinion, what is the most distinguished feature of Vietnamese classical drama art that can be used to introduce it abroad?
A: The first unique character of Tuong is its music. Although the orchestra in Tuong doesn’t have as many musical instruments or instrumentalists as in the symphony orchestra, it is still distinctive thanks to the combination of drums and two-string Chinese violins which can become an attraction to the foreign audience if it is effectively used. Another feature is the dance whose movements will be able to win the hearts of the audience when they are illustrated in foreign languages so that the audience can understand the meanings behind each movement. I had successfully used these two features to introduce the classical drama art abroad.
Q: Why do you intend to establish Dao Tan University?
A: I greatly admire the Dao Tan’s idea of innovation. This urged me to do something moderner as a gratefulness for him. And Dao Tan university where different kinds of Vietnamese traditional culture will be taught is the development of the Dao Tan’s thought.
Q: Do you intend to study other types of traditional music in Binh Dinh?
A: Coming to Binh Dinh 14 years ago, I visited Dao Tan Tuong Theatre and recorded some Bai Choi folk-songs. The sources of Binh Dinh’s traditional music are now stored at my private Vietnamese music and culture library in the U.S. To me, Binh Dinh is still an unspoiled field of the traditional music because I only know a little about folk-songs and festivals in Binh Dinh. Unfortunately, I can’t stay here longer, so I hope I’ll have chance to come back Binh Dinh in the nearest time to study and, if allowed, I’ll introduce Binh Dinh traditional music to foreign countries.
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Prof. Dr Nguyen Thuyet Phong was born in 1947 in The Vietnam Mekong River Delta. He finished his PhD course at Sorbonne Academy, Paris (France) in 1982 and he has taught Asia music at universities in the U.S since 1984 and then he became a member of American National Art Council. In May 2001, he became the second Vietnamese, after Prof. Tran Van Khe, listed in “The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians”. In 2004 he was one of 19 overseas Vietnamese bestowed the “Vietnam’s glory” title for the first time. | | 
