Vietnamese guitarist wins prize at Berlin competition
Tran Tuan An, a 24-year-old Vietnamese guitarist, won second prize at the International Guitar Competition & Festival Berlin, held in the German capital on October 15-16.
Tran Tuan An performs at the competition (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) – Tran Tuan An, a 24-year-old Vietnamese guitarist, won second prize at the In﷽ternational Guitar Competition & ꧃Festival Berlin, held in the German capital on October 15-16.
The biennial event, first held in 2006, attracted competitors from Vietnam, Denmark, Russia, Peru, Columbia, Portugal, and Belarus.
Vietnamese Professor and composer Dang Ngoc Long chaired a board of five judges at the competition, which was sponsored by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, Berlin’s administration and the Goethe Institute.
In the first round, contestants performed the piece “Mua” (Rain) by Dang Ngoc Long and Nguyen Thinh and free pieces not longer than 10 minutes.
In the final round they played another of Long’s works, “Nui rung Tay Nguyen” (Central Highlands Mountains and Forests), and then a 15-minute free performance.
Tran Tuan An, who comes from Hanoi, is studying in the US and came second following a 27-year-old competitor from Denmark. Third prize went to a 26-year-old Peruvian.
Prof. Dang Ngoc Long, Director of the music school Berlin-Gesundbrunnen, has created a number of guitar pieces, including “Nui rung Tay Nguyen” – considered one of the best works by an Asian composer.-VNA
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