The rare porcelain violin is going to be displayed at Lâm Đồng Museum. Photos baovanhoa.vn

LÂM ĐỒNG — A rare, fully playable porcelain violin crafted by violinist-craftsman Nguyễn Xuân Huy will be displayed at the Lâm Đồng Museum in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng after it has been gifted to the locality, according to the provincial authority.

The instrument is among the artisan's collection of six porcelain violins. Huy had painstakingly crafted it over three years, from 2014 to 2017, with meticulous care and delicacy.

Crafted in an antique style, with a gold-plated body and classical European patterns adorning its surface, the violin is highly valued for its longevity as a cultural heritage item as well as for its regular musical function.

According to experts and local officials, the instrument is highly suitable for exhibition at the museum.

Artist and artisan Nguyễn Xuân Huy (right) gifts his rare porcelain violin to Lâm Đồng Province.

Đinh Văn Tuấn, Vice Chairman of Lâm Đồng Province's People's Committee, said at a receiving ceremony held this week that the porcelain violin, a gift of creativity, would help enrich local musical heritage ​​​​along with traditional cultural values, especially as the whole country is strengthening its cultural industry and promoting the 'spirit of innovation and creativity'.

At the same time, the gift will also help the city of Đà Lạt maintain its title as a 'Creative City' in the field of music, after it was recognised by UNESCO in 2023, the official added.

"It is even more special when Lâm Đồng has just been officially established based on merging three provinces and operating under a new administrative operation model, marking a new milestone to be ready to enter a new era, the era of the nation's rise," said Tuấn.

Immediately after the reception, the instrument was handed over to the Lâm Đồng Museum for preservation and display.

Huy playing his rare porcelain violin, which he crafted himself over the course of three years.

Huy has long been respected as one of Việt Nam’s most talented string musicians. But his name is now making waves for a completely different reason: he may be the first person in the world to create fully playable violins from porcelain. 

Born in 1972 into a family with a rich artistic tradition in Hà Nội, the artist has achieved success during his work as a violinist and craftsman. He ranked 10th out of 200 contestants in the Young Violin Talent Competition in Poland at the age of 13. He passed the Tchaikovsky Conservatory with excellent results at the age of 18, surpassing hundreds of candidates to enter the top 15 of the orchestra, and became a member of the Century Orchestra sponsored by Princess Diana.

In 2010, he was selected as one of 100 outstanding people from the capital for the 1,000th anniversary of Thăng Long - Hà Nội and in September 2019, he set a record for being the first person to create and perform on a porcelain violin in Việt Nam. VNS