For 40 years, Meritorious Artist Duong Thuy Anh has been deeply concerned with the sound of the two-stringed fiddle (dan nhi), harboring a burning dream: how to spread the sound of the dan nhi in particular, and traditional Vietnamese musical instruments in general, to resonate, harmonize, and demonstrate their miraculous power, breaking down ingrained prejudices about the limited scope of these instruments. Her album "Lang" (Listening) and the music video "Bang Qua Canh Rung" (Crossing the Forest) are the fitting answers to those questions and doubts. Immediately after its release, the album received high praise from experts and a warm reception from the audience.

As the beloved daughter of the renowned erhu artist Duong Chuong, the sound of the erhu has seeped into Duong Thuy Anh's blood. Through the techniques passed down from her father and her diligent studies at school, Duong Thuy Anh has honed her skills to become a master. She was a key member of the once-famous Co La music group, won a gold medal at the 2017 National Solo and Ensemble Traditional Musical Instrument Festival, is an erhu instructor in the Traditional Musical Instruments Department at the Hanoi College of Arts, and was awarded the title of Meritorious Artist by the State in 2019.

For the past 40 years, Thuy Anh has dedicated her deep and passionate love to the two-stringed fiddle (dan nhi) to the point that her loved ones, even her husband and children, are "envious." Because of her understanding, passion, and love for the dan nhi, Thuy Anh can perceive its distinctive tone, unique features, and diverse emotional expression.

Therefore, Thuy Anh was deeply concerned about how to change people's "narrow-minded" prejudices about traditional Vietnamese musical instruments. She wanted to show that the erhu (two-stringed fiddle) is not only used in traditional Vietnamese orchestras, court music ensembles, folk music bands, and ensembles in theater, opera, and modern music, but that it also has the potential for incredible transformation when blended with New Age and World music – an open and global genre. Thuy Anh immersed herself in thought, reflection, and nurtured a grand dream… to send the sound of the erhu across the vast forests, awakening the boundless wilderness, and, together with her kindred spirits, "cross the forest" on the wings of magical music.

Thuy Anh knew for sure that, if she went it alone, it would be very difficult to realize her beautiful career dream. Especially in the context of many difficulties, the pandemic affecting the economy and negatively impacting all aspects of life, including the arts and culture, which faced many challenges. Thuy Anh could not keep her ambitions hidden forever. She cherished and pondered over this unique art project and longed to find a kindred spirit to receive empathy, share her vision, and work together to make it a reality.

She told herself, "Difficulties will always lie ahead, but we will overcome them together through effort and self-conquest. And even in those trials and tribulations, beauty will unfold for us to discover, and we will receive the special gift that the Creator has bestowed upon humanity. A powerful, invisible force is always hidden within the love of all things in this world. If we can share this together, no geographical distance or ethnic color will stand in our way."

And the first person to empathize and resonate with Thuy Anh was style expert and creative director Nguyen Lan Huong. She said: “I have always believed in and wished to maintain and preserve the intangible value of the Vietnamese two-stringed fiddle, especially the playing of Meritorious Artist Thuy Anh, which always makes me think about spreading and preserving it. How can we ensure that the value of traditional national art is honored and runs parallel with global music? In the story of making this album, the consciousness, spirituality, and soul of each person are connected, like all the branches of rivers flowing into the sea.”

Sensing Thuy Anh's beautiful dream, stylist Lan Huong wholeheartedly supported her, becoming the creative director for Thuy Anh's "once-in-a-lifetime" music project. Creative director Lan Huong imbued every artistic detail of the album with profound meaning, from the muted color palette to the use of Thuy Anh's daughter's handwriting – Nhu Anh's handwriting conveying a message of love and connection, writing the word "quiet" as a gift to her mother, and that word was used as the album cover.

My second close friend is my dear younger sister, the talented artist and singer-songwriter Bao Lan, author of "Doc Huyen Cam" - the first female musician in Vietnam to pursue World Music. Bao Lan and Thuy Anh are both deeply connected to traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, and are both talented artists with a burning desire and passion for creativity. Therefore, Bao Lan readily participated in the project as a vocalist, playing the zither, and she also served as a bridge connecting Thuy Anh with musician Vo Thien Thanh - a leading music producer in Vietnam, a renowned name guaranteeing artistic quality in each genre of music, shaping styles and bringing nominations for the Dedication Music Award to many successful artists such as My Tam, Doan Trang, Thu Minh, Ha Anh Tuan, Ho Trung Dung…

After listening to the heartfelt words of artist Thuy Anh and creative director Lan Huong as they expressed their desire to explore and freely soar through the magical layers of sound in that forest of traditional music.

Composer Vo Thien Thanh was immediately and completely captivated. He, too, yearned to unleash his creativity and search for "treasures" within the pristine forest of traditional Vietnamese music, to fulfill his creative ambitions and enrich himself by discovering the magical wonders of traditional musical art.

When collaborating on a music project with Thuy Anh, Bao Lan and Lan Huong, along with the "magical" team led by Vo Thien Thanh, were immediately captivated and enchanted by the wondrous melodies of the erhu – the instrument that poet Xuan Dieu once described:

"The plants and trees are peaceful, the night is quiet."

Suddenly, a discordant melody arose.

The erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle) is used to express feelings of loneliness.

Not crying, but feeling a little sad...

However, Vo Thien Thanh showcased his talent with a magical blend of New Age electronic music and World music, making not only the erhu but also the one-stringed zither and bamboo flute blend together, radiating energy with sound waves that bring positive and happy emotions to the listener.

After completing the album "Lắng" (Silence) and the music video "Băng qua cánh rừng" (Crossing the Forest), composer Võ Thiện Thanh shared: "The journey seems stranger. There are more companions along the way. And the realms are even more magical… For these two girls, I'm like someone who summons rain so that the seeds can sprout, burning with passion and a desire to explore new musical landscapes. And for me, they are the inspiration for me to seek out new enchanting spaces and landscapes in music."

Thùy Anh displayed a remarkably different range of transformations. Not only did she showcase her masterful technique, but with Bảo Lan by her side, and especially with Võ Thiện Thanh as her guide, Thùy Anh lost her shyness. She soared with the magical music, at times playfully frolicking with flowers, plants, and trees. At times, she was consumed by passion and overwhelmed with happiness, like a brilliant explorer who had discovered magic in an ancient forest, reveling in its wondrous transformation.

To the point that musician Vo Thien Thanh exclaimed: “When I myself don’t know where to go or where this stream leads in the landscape I’m painting, those two girls always frolic together with great enthusiasm through the colorful forests. Art is strange, and artists are no less strange. Just when it seems that the forest has long been asleep, with a layer of dry leaves covering the ground, the green shoots burst forth strongly and full of yearning. It turns out that within every artist, there are countless seeds, just waiting for the rain to sprout and flourish. Because life is a creative journey, and the artist is that seed always hidden, waiting for the rain.”

Thuy Anh and director Hai Le Cao embarked on an 8-hour trek through the forest, traversing many dark, treacherous, and steep paths, before finally finding the ideal setting: the primeval forest on the summit of Ta Xua, perpetually shrouded in clouds. Therefore, filming the scenes for the music video felt ethereal, mysterious, majestic, and incredibly natural. Amidst the ancient wilderness, the sounds echoed—sometimes deep and powerful, sometimes soaring and ethereal, sometimes tranquil, sometimes expansive… a feeling of enchanting melodies rising from the heart of Mother Earth, guiding the way.

After crossing the jungle, seeing the first sunbeams and the temple in the mist, then hearing the prayer, continue on to the Grassland Cottage until nightfall and enjoy the parkle's dance.

Thuy Anh "calmed down" to feel everything around her and drifted along with the beautiful melodies of her soul, finding greater peace. She felt her positive energy constantly being revived, surpassing herself in unimaginable ways, and resolved to keep moving forward, step by step, towards her desired destination.

Commenting on his new musical partner, musician Vo Thien Thanh affirmed: “Duong Thuy Anh is truly an artist with a passion and an incredibly strong will to excel for music. For her, nothing is impossible, even if it goes beyond the limits of the Vietnamese two-stringed fiddle.”

These kindred spirits have embarked on an exciting adventure together. The sound of the one-stringed zither and the vocals of Bao Lan, the zither of Khanh Trung, and the flute of Meritorious Artist Hoang Anh are positive energies of love and connection, accompanying Thuy Anh through the forest of life, through the unchanging and the ups and downs of existence. The waves of sound will help heal the inner world and enhance the value of this life.