Minh Phương

If you happen to stroll through Thống Nhất Park in central Hà Nội, you might be greeted by an enchanting blend of music: resonant piano notes, the soft melody of a bamboo flute, and gentle guitar strumming.

This captivating soundscape is courtesy of New Sunshine, a music band of five visually impaired people.

The group’s oldest and most reserved member, Vũ Hoàng Trung, plays the drums and is affectionately called “the soul of the band” by the others. The youngest, Nguyễn Đức Quân, plays an electronic flute that can mimic various instruments.

Another member, Đỗ Trung Minh, smiles brightly behind a guitar almost as big as he is. Then there’s Nguyễn Đức Thiện, a bamboo flute student at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music, who also plays the keyboard and arranges music. Completing the band is vocalist Nguyễn Thảo Đan, whose clear, soaring voice captivates listeners.

Pure love for music

Sunshine band performs at Thống Nhất Park every afternoon. Photo courtesy of the band

For Minh, his journey into music began by chance. “I was studying at Nguyễn Đình Chiểu School (for the vision impaired) when I heard a beautiful guitar melody,” he said.

“I followed the sound into a classroom, where seniors introduced me to the guitar, explaining its six strings. They let me try a few notes and challenged me to play Ba thương con (Father Loves His Child). I managed to play the melody, and from then on, they taught me.”

While music comes naturally to these musicians, mastering their instruments has taken dedication and hard work, especially without access to Braille music materials.

“For visually impaired musicians, there aren’t Braille symbols specifically for music,” said Quân. “Our teacher reads the notes and guides our hands, but sometimes our movements aren’t as fast as those with sight, and switching sounds on electronic keyboards takes extra time. It’s doable but requires more effort.”

Years of practice have paid off, with three of the five band members now studying at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music. Among them, Thiện shines as an exceptional talent, skilled in piano and traditional instruments like the bamboo flute, claves, and erhu.

In 2023, he was recognised by the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Youth Union as one of 35 outstanding young people with disabilities contributing to community activities through the Vietnamese Shining Will programme.

Nguyễn Đức Thiện (centre) is honoured as the national outstanding youth with disabilities this year. Photo courtesy of the band

“These awards motivate me to work harder in my studies and to preserve, protect, and develop traditional music in the future,” Thiện said.

“They’re also a source of pride for my family, showing that I can contribute to society despite my visual impairment.”

Guided by dedicated teacher

The band is led by teacher Trần Bình Minh, fondly known as “Teacher Minh” to his students. Though he has a visual impairment—his left eye vision is only 1/10—he feels fortunate to have pursued art from an early age. Together with his student Thiện, teacher Minh founded Đông Đô Shelter in 2016 to foster a love for music among the visually impaired.

“When the shelter first opened, we had just five members. Today, we have 20, aged from nine to 18,” Minh said.

“During my time at the National Academy of Music and as a teacher at Nguyễn Đình Chiểu School, I realised the importance of nurturing musical talent in the visually impaired.

"Around the world, and here in Việt Nam, many famous musicians are visually impaired. This inspires visually impaired people with musical talent, giving them hope that they, too, can contribute something meaningfully through music.”

For Quân, the shelter has been a supportive community. “Teacher Minh provides free music lessons, and older students are always there to help,” he said.

“I’m now a fifth-year student in the professional secondary education programme at the National Academy of Music and am preparing for the university entrance exam, just like Thiện.”

Teacher Minh added, “Seeing these students come to the shelter with love and passion for music keeps us going. Many former students have grown up, gotten married, and are making a living from music, taking care of themselves and also their families. It shows we’re on the right path.”

Despite their successes, Minh and Thiện are keenly aware of the need for accessible music materials. “Our dream is to make professional music education more accessible for visually impaired people,” Thiện said.

“Teacher Minh and I are working to convert books into Braille or audio files so that visually impaired people can easily learn music and pursue it professionally.”

The band performs at a music festival in Thailand. Photo courtesy of the band

The band has performed at cultural exchange programmes and music festivals abroad, including a festival in Thailand. Although all they see is darkness, their music lights up their lives, helping them shine on stage.

“Losing a sense is an inconvenience, not a misfortune,” said songstress Đan. “It pushes us to strive harder, to use our remaining senses to create something special.” VNS