A child, I discover music through the piano. Not a major revelation. The space opens up for me. I enter.
Later, I throw myself into the harpsichord, enlightened by my teachers Anne-Marie Paillard-Beckensteiner and Jan-Willem Jansen.
Before my studies in Toulouse and still in Grenoble the Cultural Centre enables my discovery of theatre and contemporary dance.
Numerous possibilities and with them emotions open up all at once. Each and every one I meet head on.
Its now that I want to match my music with these other paths. The paths meet and have never again separated.
Ever since I have continued to search out those that could accompany me on this extraordinary adventure.
While studying in Toulouse I test out the organ. And am seduced. I throw myself into its arms without a second thought but never quite am able to tame it.
My first harpsichord concert takes place in Grenoble. Purcell. With the orchestra. Regular concerts follow while I also continue my studies. I am seldom on my own, often with others, in Baroque repertories or orchestral pieces. I'm never quite comfortable. While happy to share these musical moments I'm never fully satisfied.My role as " continuiste " is still not enough. I know that I need to look elsewhere. To other worlds already known.
I continue.
I discover electric-acoustic music and I learn. With Xavier Garcia.
I experiment - with joy and pleasure.
Create, surprise, sculpt, dissemble, I love to reassemble the sounds; it takes all my concentration. Such moments shared with those, who like me, love to cook.
Without this sharing nothing would have quite the taste that I try to communicate. These precious moments deeply mark my existence. Precious, as all encompassing for all of us involved at the time. No egos, no dishonesty.
I'm forever aware that not everyone can do the same. I'm living a privileged life. The one that I chose.
And finally comes the time to experiment the crossing of paths and overlay of ideas with music.
Music which is written for me and music already proven by many artists over many centuries.
The integration with contemporary dance and theatre takes place.
Later I meet a sculptor, Catie de Balmann. We're a team. Visual expression this time. She films me. Perfect recall of this time. Desire to continue.
Throughout I've never stopped writing. I was already writing at twelve. At first by necessity and then by pleasure and desire. By invention. To travel to other worlds. The world of words. The written word.
But also the visual image. I assemble. Associate thetwo. Together. Little is left … but I'm working on other collages today.Very young, around 14 years old and at the request of a neighbour, I begin to teach. I've never stopped. And then a long period during which this activity paid my way more than anything else.
Much later, and certainly marked by the arrival of my own hildren in my life, these moments of sharing through teaching bring pleasure and even music.
I love to see my pupils learn. Meet the challenge demanded by a piece and its codes. I love to see them take the time to understand and to achieve.
I repeatedly tell them as they find it hard to imagine the extent that it is this that I treasure in my work.
Of course, any musical moment is welcome and brings me a breath of air. But my work is essentially elsewhere. I made the choice not to teach at the Conservatoire, not to work with advanced students devoting much of their time to music.
Today, I wish to continue to teach and above all work through image, the cinema, creative writing and composition.
This is the path I wish to follow.
With others. The other.
The encounter, the meeting is my true inspiration.
Virginie Thuy Kieu Vuong