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Meritorious artist Van Ba Anh |
All insiders affirmed that Van Ba Anh is one of few muscial talents who master three main musical instruments in an orchestra for Tuong (Vietnamese classical drama) art.
He was born in a family whose members specialize in traditional music. His grandfather and father were all famous for playing traditional musical instruments, such as drum, Vietnamese clarinet, and two-string Chinese violin, particularly a set of 12 drums.
Thanks to his inborn talent for music, Van Ba Anh mastered the use of traditional musical instruments when he was young. Before the August Revolutionary, he joined amateur Tuong troupes and was well known. His colleagues and bosses respected his talent.
Van Ba Anh joined the inter-regional 5 Tuong troupe in 1952 and he went to the north in 1954. He then systematized the music for Tuong art in Binh Dinh and Quang Nam provinces, making the music system work at the Central Tuong Theatre.
He also spent time studying more and became a musician and conductor of an orchestra. Van Ba Anh composed music for such ancient Tuong plays as Son Hau and Hong Son fire. His first Tuong play is The Uprising of Lam Son, which won a gold medal at national contest in 1957.
Some of Tuong plays for which he co-composed music also won gold and silver medals at other contests, including Hong Son fire, Thach Sanh, and Tran Binh Trong.
In 1969, Van Ba Anh was assigned to teach at Vietnam Stage Art School, where he always showed great enthusiasm for music of Tuong art. Basing on his and other colleagues’ knowledge, Van Ba Anh wrote a textbook focusing on how to play drum, Vietnamese clarinet, and two-string Chinese violin. His students have kept it as a handbook.
Among his students, many are now well known for their talent in music, such as Gia Thien, Ngoc Khanh, Van Quy, Thanh Ty, and Trong Que.
After 1975, Van Ba Anh and his troupe returned to Binh Dinh to continue performing. His solo performance named “Quang Trung wardrum” at the inauguration ceremony of Quang Trung statue marked his official return to the province.
He played the role as a conductor of an orchestra for three years before being assigned as a teacher. Many of his students are now successful, including Van Ba Hung, Van Phung, Huu Tri and Ngoc Chau.
Van Ba Anh passed away in February, 1981. Many of his students are now working everywhere, becoming main musicians at different Tuong troupes.
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