A Vietnamese folk singer used the soft rifts of a guitar to tellthe story about life during the Vietnam War.
Tinh grew up in Vietnam during the war and has since lived indifferent places all over the world. He how tells his life storythrough music, Tinh said.
Tinh played an hour-long set Wednesday night and preluded eachsong with the story from his childhood in Vietnam that inspiredit.
The piece "Home" described the respect and sympathy that theVietnamese had for the American soldiers fighting for them.
"I saw an American soldier standing and staring at the ricefields. The rain was pouring all around him and he looked so sadand homesick, so I wrote this song for him," said Tinh in hisintroduction of "Home."
Other songs described the poverty of his village, and the painthat he experienced from the death of his uncle during the war.
"I used my music as a way to express my emotions and tounderstand what I am feeling," said Tinh. "It was hard growing upduring the Vietnam War, but through my music I can show people howI felt. I am giving them a little piece of myself."
Freshman Adam Hicks said he enjoyed how the music worked withthe stories.
"It was all amazing, the music and the stories that went withit," Hicks said.
Nick Johnson, freshman, said he felt the songs added to thestories.
"I really liked the stories that he told with his songs," saidfreshman Nick Johnson. "It helped you to visualize the story."
Tinh's music not only entertained, but also taught the audiencelessons about life. For example, he wrote "Liam's song" for his sonwhich stressed the importance of love.
"All poets, writers, and musicians try to describe falling inlove, but it can't be described in words," said Tinh. "Love canonly be expressed. If we try to find the inner peace, than it willbe easier to find the outer peace."
Tinh said he did not always want to be a musician.
"I used to want to be an oil painter," said Tinh. "Then Irealized that artists did not make that much money, so then Ibecame involved with music and I love it. Music allows me toexpress myself and tell a story. I use it to teach everyone. I wantto give them a little gift that they can carry on."
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