Events › Intro to Vietnamese Music: Đàn Bầu with Khắc Chí

Have you ever heard traditional Vietnamese music? Come learn about this unique musical practice with the Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Society! 

Our first program in this new series of introductory classes features the đàn bầu, a one-string zither known as one of Vietnam’s most distinctive instruments. We’ll learn about the history, technique, and culture surrounding this beautiful instrument with performer, composer, and educator Khắc Chí and the talented dancers and musicians of the Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Society. Through live performance, storytelling, and dance, participants will discover how the instrument has evolved — from folk life and court music to modern compositions and cross-cultural collaborations. By the end, audiences will leave not only moved by the đàn bầu’s haunting voice, but also with a richer understanding of Vietnamese music — its resilience, its beauty, and its enduring role in bridging past and present, homeland and diaspora.

These programs are designed to introduce new listeners to the sounds and cultural significance of traditional Vietnamese music, as well as create a deeper understanding of the history and techniques for long-time fans. 

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Born in 1950 in Nghệ An, Vietnam, Khắc Chí is a master of the đàn bầu (Vietnamese monochord). He entered the Vietnam National Academy of Music at age eight and began teaching there at 19. After further study in Western music and pedagogy at the Tashkent Conservatory, he became one of Vietnam’s first university graduates specializing in traditional music, later serving as Deputy Head of the Traditional Music Department and mentoring generations of artists. Acclaimed as Vietnam’s foremost đàn bầu virtuoso, he has appeared on national television and earned top honours, both in Vietnam and abroad. With his late wife Ngọc Bích, he taught at UBC (1997–1999) and lectured across North America. His three albums and widespread media features affirm his role as an international cultural ambassador for Vietnamese music.

The Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Society was founded in 2009 to celebrate and nurture Southeast Asian arts and culture, raising the visibility of people of Southeast Asian ancestry in Canada. SEACHS brings together the community, celebrates traditional festivals in the contemporary world, supports diverse partnerships, fosters language learning, and serves as a lively platform for varied intercultural artistic creations, exhibitions, and circulations. These include traditional dance, music, and other expressive forms, as well as resonant contemporary expressions by Southeast Asian diasporic artists.

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This program is generously funded by VPL Foundation donors.

This program is presented in partnership with the Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Society