Enjoying lithophone melodies at Prof. Khe’s home

Professor Tran Van Khe will organize a presentation of dan da (stone musical instrument or lithophone) at his home, 32 Huynh Dinh Hai, Binh Thanh district, HCM City on June 19.
The famous professor will introduce and analyze the characteristics of different dan da which were excavated in different areas in Vietnam like Ndut Lieng Krak (1949), Khanh Son (1979), Bac Ai, Binh Da, Blao (1980), Da Long (1987), Tuy Ai, and others.
People’s Artist Do Loc and Bich Diep will perform on dan da and other traditional musical instruments like T’rung, Angklung and phong tieu.
Dan da is the oldest musical instrument among Vietnam’s traditional musical instruments. The first dan da was discovered by the French in Dak Lak in 1949. This is an ancient musical instrument with 11 slabs of stone. Later, some more dan da were discovered in Vietnam. It results from the researches that dan da existed between 4,000 and 10,000 years ago.
Prof. Khe, 89, spent nearly 60 years researching and teaching traditional Vietnamese music abroad, primarily in France. He is now continuing his work in Vietnam. He was awarded the first-class Labour Order in 1999 and the prestigious Dao Tan prize in 2005 for his devotion to preserving the country’s culture and arts.