Call for participants – FAMLAB residency June 2019 (Closed)

Final concert – 23 January 2019. Photo: Tu Nguyen

Following a pilot initiative at Phu Sa Lab (Hanoi, January 2019), we are now looking for seven to ten Vietnam-based contemporary musicians to take part in the FAMLAB music residency programme in Hoi An in June 2019.

Deadline for submission of applications is 29 April 2019.

OVERVIEW

This residency forms part of the FAMLAB strand of our on-going Heritage of Future Past project and is organised in conjunction with Lune Production and Phu Sa Lab (including music director Nguyen Nhat Ly and members of the SEAPHONY Orchestra), encompassing in-depth musical exchanges and sharing on indigenous forms of Vietnamese music.

Featuring master musicians and artists from various localites of Vietnam and Scotland – with musicians from Phu Sa Lab in artistic advisors and co-ordinator roles – the intensive 20-day programme revolves around three sound worlds associated with the country’s North West, Central Highlands and South Central regions, and culminates in an ourdoor concert showcasing the newly-developed works.

INFORMATION

Location: Hoi An
Dates: 6–25 June 2019; the concluding public concert will be taking place on 25 June at the city’s Dong Hiep Cultural Park
Participants:

master musicians and artisans from the North West, Central Highlands, South Central and Hanoi regions
artistic advisors and co-ordinators from Phu Sa Lab: Nguyen Nhat Ly, Nguyen Duc Minh and Quyen Thien Dac
guest musicians and composers
three Scottish musicians working with Scotland’s traditional music
maximum ten Vietnam-based musicians or artists with an interest in the country’s indigenous music
eight Hoi An-based artists affiliated with LUNE Production.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

pre-existing knowledge and practices in relation to various types of traditional Vietnamese music forms, in particular those associated with the cultural regions of North West and Central Highlands, and with Cham communities
strong capability in performing and improvising
an interest in exploring and integrating traditional sonic lexicons into contemporary practices (of any capacity, from individual to community-based practices)
commitment towards future and long-term development of Vietnam’s indigenous and traditional music
the programme is open to musicians and artists of any nationality, locality (within Vietnam) and age group.

OTHER INFORMATION

Succesful applicants should note the following:

Participants are required to take part in all 20 days of the residency programme (6–25 June).
The role of each artist throughout the programme and at the final concert will be decided upon ongoing discussions and consultation with the programme’s music advisors.
It is not a guarantee that all participants selected through this open call will take part in the final concert; final decision in this regard will be made by the programme’s music advisors.

The organisers will arrange for and cover:

airfares (or tickets for another type of transport suitable to the artists) to/from Hoi An
local transport, accommodation and meals during the programme
working and rehearsal spaces, backline, and an assortment of indigenous instruments (such as gong, ting ning, ginang and paranung drums, jaw’s harps, flutes, amongst others), as well as a number of instruments made by artisans of Phu Sa Lab
translation support (if required).

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESSES

Application package:

CV (maximum one A4 side) detailing artistic practices and experiences
a short video filmed after 26 March 2019, of 3–5 minutes in duration, showing the artist’s interaction with and response to elements of one (or a multiple) of the following sound worlds: North West, Central Highlands, and Cham.

For this video (which can be filmed on mobile phones), the artist can make use of any musical instrument as they see fit – traditional or modern – and the audio quality should be of a reasonable standard.

Application package for artists without a sound-based practice:

The programme welcomes applications from those who do not perform music but have an interest in learning more about indigenous music towards incorporation into their own artistic practices.

In this case, please submit your CV, online links to two of your past works, and a short text (maximum 300 words) explaining why you would like to take part in this programme and any idea or proposal you might have.

Application process:

Please send your application package to vnarts@britishcouncil.org.vn by 23.59 on 29 April.
Please upload your application video to online file-sharing platforms such as Google Drive or Dropbox and submit the corresponding URL together with the package.
Those who need assistance with regard to filming and/or uploading the video please contact the organiser via the channels mentioned in Section 6.

Milestones:

29 April: application deadline.
4 May: interview with shortlisted artists – the interviews will be conducted by the programme’s music advisors and might involve performing live.
6 May: result announcement.

CONTACT

Hung Tran
Programme Manager
Arts and Creative Industries
British Council
20 Thuy Khue
Hanoi
Vietnam
T +84 1800 1299 ext 1929
hung.tran@britishcouncil.org.vn

Hong Pham
Programme Manager
Arts and Creative Industries
British Council
20 Thuy Khue
Hanoi
Vietnam
T +84 1800 1299 ext 1924
hong.pham@britishcouncil.org.vn

ORGANISERS

BRITISH COUNCIL’S HERITAGE OF FUTURE PAST

Heritage of Future Past is a two-year project delivered through the British Council’s Culture and Development initiative. Engaging with Vietnam’s music/film heritage, especially those currently under-threat or under-represented, the project consists of two interconnected strands: community-level activities and FAMLAB (Film, Archive and Music Lab). Launched in April 2018, the project seeks to create opportunities for communities across the country to contribute to – and benefit from – the safeguarding and reinvigoration of their cultural heritage.

Project activities are focused on research, documentation, conservation, training and capacity building (including oral teaching techniques), experimentation and innovation, advocacy and education (including policy and community dialogues), and the re-imagination and revitalisation of cultural heritage assets via contemporary practices. Find out more about Heritage of Future Past.

LUNE PRODUCTION

Lune Production was established in 2012 with a vision to inspire native cultural values of the world, starting with Vietnam, to global audiences. The company develops and promotes spectacles and cultural products that capture the essence of local native cultures by collaborating with world-class artists who share the same values. Lune’s products such as A O Show, Lang Toi – My Village have won audiences’ hearts locally and across four continents as the company keeps expanding in scale, while maintaining focus on pushing creative boundaries and upholding native cultures. Most notable recent works include the S.E.A Sound Project, initiating the Seaphony ethnic orchestra and Palao, a contemporary theatrical creation based on Champa culture.

SEASOUND PROJECT AND THE SEAPHONY ETHNIC ORCHESTRA

The S.E.A Sound project was initiated by musician Nguyen Nhat Ly to create a South East Asian musical platform where the community of ethnic music lovers gather to share, enjoy, compose, perform, and prosper. After years of research and months of passionate labour throughout 2017, the Seaphony orchestra proudly made its first appearance in the ethnic music concert ‘Dem Vo Thuc Ban Dịa’ at Hanoi Opera House, on 12 December 2017. The project aims to grow deeper and more sustainable roots within local ethnic communities, while connecting musicians across South East Asian countries to build an open network sharing a passion for indigenous music and bringing native sounds of South East Asia to the world.

PHU SA LAB

Located in Hanoi’s Tay Ho District, Phu Sa Lab was founded by the visionary artist Nguyen Nhat Ly in his early years having returned to Vietnam. It serves as a hub for independent artists for traditional and ethnic music experimentation in contemporary context as well as an open space for creatives and cultural activists who share artistic, humanitarian, environmentalist ideals and passion.