Artist

Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 37

Tao abides in non-action,
Yet nothing is left undone.
If kings and lords observed this,
The ten thousand things would develop naturally.
If they still desired to act,
They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.
Without form there is no desire.
Without desire there is tranquility.
And in this way all things would be at peace.
(translation by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English)

...Vi An would like to acknowledge and pay homage on these traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. We acknowledge with gratitude the privilege of knowing, learning from and co-operating with them...

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Since the COVID Pandemic, Vi An continues to struggle as a full-time and self employed recording artist / creative in general.

While there are very few performance engagements and other public performance opprotunities, with social distancing measures in place, fewer still, are online opportunities to showcase
Vi An's artistic music.

Busking is completely banned, if not selectively prohibited, further threatening Vi An's financial security. With mental health and various anxieties, vulnerabilities as an under represented, visible minority, along with depression, are all further exacerbated by lack of funding resources like grants, which are needed to support established artists like Vi An.

There are plenty of small to sizable, temporary, one-off grants for emerging creatives and for arts/cultural presenters, which is fantastic! However, there is to be nothing for sustaining the careers and lives of the seasoned/established artists (the presentors).

Food for thought: during this global pandemic, there is a lot of support for the arts to thrive, along with other business/professional sectors of our society, however, still, those lives of individual artists seems to lack crucial acknowledgment, lacks support to highlight the importance, the neccessity, of what artists continue to contribute to our society, yet we have been marginalized and given the most restrictions still.

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Mantraradio. Interview feat. Vi An MUSIC on soundcloud. c.2018 Reflections & Retrospective on a Self-made career in World Instrumental Music since 1990.

mantraradio · // vi an diep // her music + interview //

To show your gratitude and appreciation.. We encourage you... Donations welcome please click the following link: https://www.paypal.me/vianmusic

Enjoy articles and broadcasts bellow featuring Vi An:

FICTIVE Mag c.2021

Gu Zheng Alive c.2021

Vi An [pronounced ~vee an] Diep [pronounced ~dee ep]

WORLD-MUSIC Independent Recording-Artist
Composer for films, theatre and dance.
Collaborator, teacher and public speaker.

Original, self-taught music in the moment, on rare occasions improvising
on various folk and traditional Asian pieces or Western, European or classical / popular music.

Highly evolved artistry, challenging original ideas on the fly, contemporary with hints of influences by great composers such as Achille-Claude Debussy, Argo Pärt, Érik Satie, Björk, Hans Zimmer, Antonín Dvorák, etc. Exquisitely evocative, lyrical, clever, adaptable, intense, invigorating, engaging, rhythmical, harmonious, soothing, powerful, inspired and sophisticated music!

The music is anything but traditional. It is not meditation music, such an artist can never be boxed in, as those specific genres are not always the intent nor the direction of this ultra-creative and innovative artist. The music and the sounds, the movements you experience is their way of conveying as much as possible about their inner and outer worlds. A sort of response to the environment, channeling of ancestors and beings beyond these present realms, often from the future or beyond. Mostly in the present moment. So many gifts, treasures and offerings to gather and then return to you, the audience, right then, and there!

Sometimes tormenting and unresolved, melancholy and dark, driving rhythms can be extremely beautiful, cathartic and moving! The intent is to keep the listeners at the edge of their seats, the mind can not comprehend nor anticipate the next movement or passage in the musical poems. Often epic journeys of discovery for the artist, whom invites you into their adventure, as an audience you are expected to utilize all of your mind, body and spirit willing along this ride together; for without the audience, it is mere self-reflection as though singing into a mirror.

Intuition at play!
The interplay between mind, heart and gut...

You are invited on this journey through mutual opportunities to witness and to discover delicious sonic-gifts!

The Gaelic word: Hiraeth ~ {means the longing of things the soul once knew.} I intuitively compose my own spontaneous pieces of music, right in the moment. After countless, ongoing discoveries, I feel Hiraeth best describes what I experience when performing.

I am a proponent of ancient Asian long-plucked zither instruments. The harp-like sounding instrument opens endless possibilities for freedom of expression. As the late thinker and author Terrence McKenna once said, "... it is the simultaneous nostalgia for the past and the future... ultimately the driving force of great creative spirits..."

I am not classically-trained. I am self-taught since age 6. Piano was my first introduction to music, then choir, recorder and the ukulele, before the "zheng" (Chinese 23 stringed long-plucked zither) came into my life, in Chinese summer school when I was 8. I've always felt a deep honour for the instrumental aesthetic and for every musician who have played, and appreciated them throughout the ages. As a very young child, around age 3, I had vivid, lucid dreams and fantasized of performing for the world! Now, I live this dream, it's been since age 10 when I became an independent professional artist.

Ultimately, music has become my most effective, creative outlet. Other creative outlets include fashion design, drawing, painting, dancing, writing, volunteering, public speaking, acting and living daily life. I understand what it is like to navigate this world, as a marginalized and sometimes tokenized artist. Economically falling through the cracks, seeing the underbelly of our society, the deep and frightening systemic problems which plagues our democracy, sniffling our collective evolution, innovation, and liberties. The inequity is profound. I find myself relating to major Political Dissidents as Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein and Chris Hedges. I am a self proclaimed #universalbasicincome warrior!

I am an artist through and through, my body is my constant canvas and my life, a grand treasure box of goodies to draw inspiration from!

What are the instruments I play?

Asian long-plucked zithers:
30-stringed Chinese zheng, 13-stringed Japanese koto and 17-stringed Vietnamese dan tranh.

Other instruments include keyboards & synthesizers, samplers, piano, percussion and occasionally voice.

National Awards for Excelence in Theatre (Betty Mitchell Awards):

2006 Nominated & Recieved the Betty Mitchell Award for Best Original musical score & Sound design for the production of "Dancing On Water" with the Green Fools Theatre (Calgary, Alberta);

2013 Nominated for the Betty Mitchell Award for Best Original musical score for the production of "Elephant Song" with the Green Fools Theatre (Calgary, Alberta).

2016 Nominated for Interesting Vancouver Award.

Visit| Many Videos To Enjoy Below Link|Today

youtube.com/c/ViAnMUSIC

Please consider smashing the subscribe button, please comment, like, share and support! I really could use all the support I can get. Eternally grateful to everyone since day one.

The following Video below "Memorial Lantern Festival 2013", reached #16 on the Top 40's chart in April/May of 2021, under the category of Asian genre within the Videos section, of -- Ethnocloud Music platform for Global music and video featuring World Music & Culture!