Sat 3/7 @ 7:30PM
Classical guitarist An Tran began his training in his native Vietnam before moving to the U.S. to continue his musical studies at Chicago’s North Park University, Yale University and Northwest University, also in the Chicago area, where he earned his PhD. Unsurprisingly, given his educational roots and its vibrant musical community, he’s now settled in the Chicago area where he teaches, founded an international guitar series and serves on the board of the Chicago Classical Guitar Society.
But he still has roots in Vietnam where he hosts an International Guitar Workshop, an annual ten-day intensive for students of all ages. And he draws upon its musical heritage for his repertoire, as he uses his music to bridge cultures, something he’ll be sharing when he makes his Cleveland debut for the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society at the Maltz Performing Arts Center.
His “Illumina” tour features work entirely by contemporary composers. The first half includes four pieces by European composers (British, Italian, Spanish and Belarusian). The second half comprises music entirely by Vietnamese composers, some of it dedicated to him. Among other pieces, it features a world premiere: Núi Rừng Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands of Vietnam) by 68-year-old Vietnamese composer Đặng Ngọc Long. To see his full program go here. Get tickets here.