"GOm Show" – a groundbreaking creative music project inspired by Vietnam’s traditional pottery culture – is set to take the stage at the Hanoi Opera House at 7:30 p.m. on June 28 and 29. The performance is a labor of love by Đàn Đó, a group of artists committed to preserving and revitalizing local music traditions.

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Artists from Đàn Đó gather at the press conference to introduce the GOm Show, a groundbreaking music project rooted in Vietnam’s indigenous culture.

At the press briefing, Do Tuan Anh, a representative of Đàn Đó, shared his admiration for the group’s decade-long journey. “The first time I heard their music, I was deeply moved. Their performances, often held on modest bamboo stages, possess an irresistible charm. I felt compelled to help amplify their efforts in preserving traditional music and theatrical culture, especially among younger audiences,” he said.

Tuan Anh emphasized that Đàn Đó is driven not by commercial interests but by a shared artistic vision. The group has achieved the rare feat of honoring local music heritage while adapting it to contemporary sensibilities. Their work, he noted, is not only aesthetically rich but also offers deep educational and cultural value, inspiring love for Vietnamese heritage in an increasingly modernized world.

“Their instruments and sounds are both familiar and refreshingly new. The effect is powerful and profoundly moving. This is the strength of Vietnamese culture. And young audiences genuinely enjoy it. That’s why I believe Đàn Đó is on the right path,” he added.

With aspirations to bring Vietnamese indigenous music to global audiences, Đàn Đó believes their rustic yet emotionally resonant compositions can touch hearts worldwide, offering a sincere and distinct voice for Vietnam on the global cultural map.

“In the initial phase, we aim to build an ecosystem for native music that includes regular performances, publications, and immersive audio-visual spaces grounded in indigenous culture yet bearing global appeal. From there, we plan to bring our works to the international stage, exporting Vietnamese cultural identity and solidifying our musical heritage on the world’s biggest platforms,” Tuan Anh stated.

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Artists from Đàn Đó unveil their upcoming GOm Show, blending traditional Vietnamese sounds with modern stagecraft. 

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Unlike traditional historical reenactments, GOm Show invites audiences into a sensory universe where sound unlocks memory and imagination. The performance will explore diverse cultural layers through segments like Return, That Time, Downstream, Finding Hani, and Gom, each representing voices from ethnic communities such as the M’nong, Tay, Lo Lo, Nung Din, Ede, and Ha Nhi.

Unique instruments designed and handcrafted by the artists themselves are central to the show. These include the trong chum (a clay pot drum using inner tube rubbers to produce ultra-deep bass tones), trong lang (warm, earthy drum resembling sticky rice cakes), chieng sanh and chuong sanh (clay gongs and bells offering distinct tonal textures), gom xoay (whirling sound created by rotating fingers over ceramic rims), and dan nieu (a soft, melodic string instrument made from clay pots).

Đàn Đó, established over 12 years ago, has been a constant force in the creative arts scene, building on indigenous materials and aesthetics. Their earlier project Lang Toi Show found acclaim across Europe, charming international audiences with its sophisticated reinterpretation of Vietnamese cultural motifs.

GOm Show marks a new milestone in Đàn Đó’s artistic journey and represents a meaningful leap in Vietnam’s contemporary art movement. It also symbolizes the intergenerational handover between experienced founders and the emerging generation of talented young artists.

Tinh Le