Artist Duc Dau instructs Canadian visitors to play Tay Nguyen lithophone.

Australian visitors are very interested in artist Duc Dau's collection of musical instruments.

The Museum of Musical Instruments owned by Duc Dau is a familiar address for many young people who love national music in Ho Chi Minh City.

A kind of drum of the Man ethnic people.

A terra-cotta drum of Cao Lan ethnic people.

Located at No 2, Road 2, Ward 7 in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, the house of artist Duc Dau is considered large by any standard at 200m², and his collection takes up the majority of the space. The membranophone collection has 60 Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) drums classified in three groups: thunder drums, medium drums and small drums. There is also an ancient Hogor drum from the Gia Rai people of Viet Nam , made from a single piece of wood measuring 1.07m in diameter.

 

The drumheads are made from the skin of one female and one male buffalo, also adding to its distinct reverberation.  The Gia Rai people believe that the drumbeats help drive away the evil spirits and pray for good health and bumper crops.

 

Apart from the ancient Hogor drum, Duc Dau’s collection includes many unique musical instruments such as 50 Tay Nguyen gongs of different sizes with the largest being 0.8m in diameter and 200 years old; many kinds of horns made from elephant tusks and buffalo horns; different kinds of flutes such as Sao vo, Dinh don, Dinh tac ta, Dinh puot and  Dinh tut; stone musical instruments and stringed musical instruments including T’rung, K’ni, Goong, P’ro, Dinh pa, K’long put; bamboo gongs and bells nearly 150 years old. Due to the diversity of traditional Tay Nguyen musical instruments in Duc Dau’s collection, one expert amazedly said: “Going to Duc Dau’s house seems like an adventure throughout Tay Nguyen.”

 

Artist Duc Dau said: “The drumbeats liken to the sound of thunder that demonstrates the fusion between humans and nature. Therefore, to successfully perform on the traditional musical instruments the musician must have the ability to weave together with his music, nature and the audience in a contemporary style, full of national sprit”.    

 

Music critics familiar with this style of drumming say when Duc Dau performs using a set of 20 drums, the audiences seem to perceive the sporting and fighting spirit of the Tay Son troops led by Hero Quang Trung (Emperor of the Tay Son Dynasty of Viet Nam) marching speedily to Thang Long in the Spring of Ky Dau Year (the Year of the Rooster). When talking about the traditional membranophone, late musician Luu Huu Phuoc affirmed: “Viet Nam is one of the countries rich in membranophone, and using musical instruments belonging to the membranophone family is very difficult.” This confirms the talent of artist Duc Dau.

 

Duc Dau was invited to participate in many great cultural events in Viet Nam, such as Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Mrs. Viet Nam 2009 in Vung Tau and “Charming Viet Nam” Programme.

 

At present, apart from performing, artist Duc Dau continues to spent much time enriching his “museum of traditional musical instruments” to preserve the national treasure and is wholeheartedly devoted to promoting the unique national art to international friends.