Sol Art director Dang Chau Anh speaks up for Vietnamese chorus Vietnamese children’s ensemble Sol Art won the Audience Prize and a gold medal in the folklore category at the 2013 International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival and Competition, held in July in Wernigerode, Germany. Conductor Dang Chau Anh played an instrumental role in directing the effort and talent of the performers toward success. Chau Anh shares her thoughts with us on the Sol Art victory as well as her plans for future Vietnamese chorus activities. Were you surprised by Sol Art’s victory at the competition? The surprise came in the 2011 event when Sol Art scored a hat-trick, winning three major awards, including a gold medal in the folklore category, the Audience Prize, and the Most Impressive Performance Prize. It was beyond our expectation that a choir from Vietnam, where choral activities have not been popular, could have such success.   Conductor Dang Chau Anh. So this year’s double triumph didn’t actually come as a surprise for me, but it was remarkable that the ensemble received the Audience Prize for the second time. According to the organising board and the local newspaper, seldom has a delegation won the prize twice. It may be considered a ‘miracle’. Do you think that further investment and professionalism are necessary for the choir to reach higher international accolades?  The awards we have won in recent years have helped both parents and students learn more about chorus. However, the parents have not yet fully understood that the extent of what their children can receive from the competitions. By participating in these events, children can broaden their knowledge of culture and history, as well as improving their teamwork skills and patriotism. However, our means of communication have not properly informed the public about chorus activities and their positive impact on human life. They are significant spiritual and cultural activities which help tighten interpersonal links. Once parents are fully aware of these benefits, we can build a strong team to aspire to new achievements. So what have you done to improve the problem? We will order choral works exclusively for Sol Art, which are characterised by traditional features of Vietnam. They will elevate the natural strength of every team member’s voice. We will also think up fresh ideas for choreography for our performances. Above all, I want to create a comfortable and exciting atmosphere among the children so that they can perform with all their carefree and loving nature, with smiles are always on their faces. After nearly 10 years of ceaseless effort to bring chorus closer to the audiences, have you noticed any change in choral activities in Vietnam? Vietnam had high-quality choirs before but we lacked the opportunity to perform and compete abroad due to financial difficulties.   Dang Chau Anh (white shirt) and the Sol Art choir. Over the past 5 -7 years, however, choral activities have been prospering since the Vietnamese choir won a silver medal at the World Choir Games in Austria in 2008. That is why I came up with the idea of promoting Vietnamese culture to international friends. We have shown people that although Vietnam doesn’t have big advantages in chorus, we can achieve glory as long as we have strong determination and good strategy. You are now the arts director of Sol Art Centre, with a mission to create opportunities for the young generation to access the arts and develop their intellectual and linguistic capacities in a natural way. Is it also part of your plan to bring academic arts to the public?  Yes, it is. At Sol Art Centre, we bring leisure, pleasure and joy to children through music, which also helps boost their confidence and communication skills. Music may not make your child a music superstar, but it does help them connect with society. I think this method is a good way to popularise symphony and chamber music among the community. I hope that the awards and the high appreciation Sol Art has received from international audiences will help promote the art form among Vietnamese audiences so that I can implement choral activities more widely at schools, cultural houses, hospitals and offices. Thank you for the interview. Source: Nhan Dan