Through the enchanting sounds of the đàn tranh, Brian Bùi shares the beauty of Vietnamese traditional music with the world. Combining the sounds of his heritage with elements of Latin, Jazz, and Western Classical music, Brian’s compositions are a reflection of his diverse and multicultural upbringing in Stockton.

Starting out on violin and piano at a young age, it was not until his teenage years that Brian began his journey into Vietnamese traditional music. In a search to connect with his Vietnamese roots, he was drawn to the đàn tranh, a 17-stringed zither.

As a performer, Brian has played đàn tranh for audiences in Vietnam and the U.S. at events such as the Stockton Multicultural festival, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. In addition to performing, he has held workshops and lectures about Vietnamese traditional music and invites people of all backgrounds to listen to and appreciate the music of Vietnam.

Brian has earned a B.A. in Composition from the University of the Pacific in 2021. Outside of the university he has studied đàn tranh with zither masters Võ Vân Ánh and Nguyễn Thị Hải Phương.