About Brian
With a mission to bridge cultures and generations through music, indie đàn tranh artist Brian Bùi seeks to reveal our shared humanity through a genre-blending, global sound. Inspired by the hypnotic grooves of Latin jazz, psychedelic rock, and traditional Vietnamese music, Brian reimagines the nostalgic beauty of Vietnamese boléro, a genre that once defined the sound of Saigon during the 1960s and ’70s.
Brian Bùi began his musical journey on the violin at a young age, but it was during his teenage years that he turned toward traditional Vietnamese music as a way to connect with his cultural heritage. The đàn tranh soon became central to his creative voice.
In 2017, Brian began studying đàn tranh under Vân-Ánh “Vanessa” Võ while pursuing a degree in music composition at the University of the Pacific. He currently continues his đàn tranh studies with NSƯT Nguyễn Thị Hải Phượng and is completing a Master of Arts degree at Berklee Online.
In recent years, Brian has brought his original đàn tranh arrangements to Tết festivals across California, with performances at venues including the Bowers Museum and alongside the Pacific Symphony, where he premiered his Vietnamese Folk Medley.