Nha San Collective - Son X

Son X (Nguyen Xuan Son) studied traditional music and percussion since early age and was graduated from the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema in 1990. From 1989 to 1994, he was a member of the Hanoi National Theatre of Cheo. From 1994 to 2002, he was a member of the Company Ea Sola. Working with small ensembles to large ensembles from five to twenty musicians, Nguyen Xuan Son dedicated his life to music making. Using traditional instruments and electronic music, he creates contemporary work fusing ancient and urban music. For Nguyen Xuan Son, it is a question of ancient poetry in the contemporary context.

From 2000, Nguyen Xuan Son began to compose and to perform his work in alternative spaces in Vietnam – Etudes N.1 For Percussions (1998) ) for 10 percussions in the Spring in Vietnam at Brussel / Belgium , Vọng Cổ (2001) for 6 traditional musicians and 2 singers at the Nhasan Studio Hanoi , In the Night (2002) for 8 Vietnamese traditional musicians at the Hanoi Opera House, Vietnamese Drum (2003) for 8 percussions at the Goethe Institut in Hanoi, Drum and Lotus (2004) for 8 Vietnamese traditional musicians at the Hanoi Opera House, One Face N.1 (2005) for 10 Muong minorities at the L‘Espace in Hanoi and at the Vietnam Art Gallery, One Face N.4 (2009) for 1 traditional singer and 1 electronic musician at the Youth Theatre in Hanoi, Black Circle (sound installation 2011) in the Riverscape in Flux Exhibition which toured in 5 SouthEast Asian countries … He also wrote music for the film Bride of silence (2003) by filmmaker Doan Minh Phuong.

Working with painters and dancers, Nguyen Xuan Son had created music for installations and video works, including Exit ( Performance art 2001 ) for 3 percussions at the Nhasan Studio Hanoi, The Hell (music theatre 2002 ) at the Nhasan Studio Hanoi, Alone ( video art 2002 ) at the Hanoi Contemporary Art Center, Truong Chi ( video art 2003 ) at the Hanoi Opera House, One Face N.2 ( video art 2004) at the Ryllega Gallery Hanoi , Red Etude ( music for video art of Nguyen Minh Phuoc 2004) at the Stenersen museum/Oslo/Norway, at the Tate Modern museum/London, at the Vietnam Art Scene in IFA Institute in Berlin, at the 7th Asia Pacific Trienial of the Contemporary Art/Brisbane/Australia, Hoa Binh ( sound installation 2013 ) at the Muong Studio, Fall into sleep ( music theatre 2013) for 3 Vietnamese traditional musicians, 1 electronic musician and 1 traditional actor in the Hanoi New Music festival at the Hanoi Cheo Theatre, Sự tích đá chồng ( music theatre 2014 ) for 2 Vietnamese traditional musicians, 1 electronic musician and 2 dancers at the Cotic Art Gallery in Hoi An, Porous Borders ( sound installation 2014 ) in the SouthEast Asian Comtemporary Art Exhibition at the ARTER/Space for Art in Istanbul. Nguyen Xuan Son composed music for dance works, which include Living in a Box (2007) by Tran Ly Ly. Drought and Rain Vol.2 (2005). Air Lines (2008), The White Body (2009) and Drought and Rain (2011) by Ea Sola.

From 1995 – present, Nguyen Xuan Son performed his music in international festivals and theaters around the world: Festival d’Automne, Paris; Kunsten Festival des Arts, Brussels; Expo 2000, Hanover; Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz Berlin; Théâtre de la Ville in Paris; Charleston Festival Spoleto USA; Hong Kong Arts Festival, Lincoln Center Festival, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Culturgest, Lisbon; Singapore Arts Festival, Royal Festival Hall, London; Salzburg Festival; Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam; Hebbel Theater, Berlin; Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels; Philadelphia Live Arts Festival; Yerba Buena Theater, San Francisco; Edinburgh International Festival; Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London; Schouwburg, Amsterdam; Fest der Kontinente Kampnagel, Hamburg; l’Espace Centre Culturel Français, Hanoi-Workers Theater Vietnam; Hue Festival, Vietnam; Stadsschouwburg, Utrecht; Stadsschouwburg, Eindhoven; Rotterdam Schouwburg; Muffathalle Munich; Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona; Ludwigshafen festival; Auckland Festival, New Zealand; Holland Festival; Istanbul, Turkey …

Nguyen Xuan Son will perform with Vu Nhat Tan & Luong Hue Trinh on Friday September 4th in Kristiansand Kino (Hall 4) at 19:00.