Aug
2
1:30 PM13:30

Việt Day at Yerba Buena Garden Festival

  • Great Lawn, Yerba Buena Gardens (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Marking half a century since the end of the Vietnam War, Blood Moon Orchestra and Vân-Ánh Võ weave intricate stories honoring 4,000 years of Vietnamese culture at this unique event, collaborating with fellow pioneers of the greater Bay Area Vietnamese community.

Cost: Free

RSVP with Yerba Buena Garden Festival here.

More information here.

Press release excerpt:

Viet Day at Yerba Buena Gardens adds a poignant thread to an event that honors Vietnamese cultural roots, lived experiences, and contributions to the broader American landscape. A vibrant celebration that brings together voices from different generations to share stories and artistic traditions of an underexplored community, Viet Day is an invitation to hear, see, taste and touch Vietnamese culture, fostering connection and understanding beyond the community itself. 

The celebration includes exhibitions on Vietnamese history in the U.S. and the Bay Area, authentic Vietnamese finger foods and a performance by the genre-bending musical collective Blood Moon Orchestra, led by virtuoso Vân-Ánh Võ. Featuring master musicians, Blood Moon Orchestra seamlessly blends diverse sounds with traditional Vietnamese instruments to create fresh and unexpected musical dialogues. Adding to the celebration, student performers from the Vietnamese Educational & Cultural Association (VECA) and Au Co Vietnamese Cultural Center play an opening set, taking the stage alongside their teachers.

‘It has been fifty years since the Vietnamese community has been calling America home," says Vân-Ánh. But as she points out, "there is a lot more to our community than phở, bánh mì, and nail salons! Our event will open the doors for people to take a deep look into our rich 4000-year cultural heritage, emerge into our traditions, and experience our community’s experiences through exhibitions of language, presentations of Việt costumes, performances of different music genres, and tasting of different traditional food. I am humble to be a part of this event to offer and deliver this unique experience to the audience. The event also provides a safe platform for community members to share their voices through the community’s performance section which audiences will witness.’”

Guest artists:

  • Le Gianna & The Finest City Dance Team — 12-year-old Vietnamese American rap superstar

  • Costume collections designed and curated by model & designer Maya Mai & Runway director Quang Tu

  • Chef Nikki Tran — an acclaimed Vietnamese-American chef, restaurateur, Featured in Netflix series like Somebody Feed Phil, Street Food: Asia, and Ugly Delicious

  • 50 community performers from around the Bay Area

Community partners for cultural exhibitions:

  • Au Co Vietnamese Cultural Center in San Francisco

  • Vietnamese Education & Cultural Association in Hayward

Foundations / Corporate / Individual Sponsors:

  • San Francisco Arts Commission

  • Gerbode Foundation Grant for New Music

  • California Arts Council for Creative Youth

  • Umpqua Bank

  • Yerba Buena Partnership’s Community Benefit Fund

  • Bun Mee Restaurant

  • Crustacean Restaurant from House of An

  • Jerry & Thao Dodson

  • Huynh Vo Charitable Fund

  • Blood Moon Orchestra

  • Dinh & Kochan Family

Event credits:

  • Executive producer: Blood Moon Orchestra Board of Directors

  • Executive Producer: Rosalina Tran Lyster

  • Artistic Director: Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ

  • Music Directors: Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ & Joel Davel

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Apr
6
7:00 PM19:00

Great Artists Series '25 - Presented by Washington University in St. Louis

Vân-Ánh Võ and the Blood Moon Orchestra are part of the Great Artists Series 2025, presented by WUSTL MUSIC. This performance brings today's greatest artists to the community, showcasing a unique fusion of traditional and contemporary musical styles that transcend genres and cultural boundaries.

Vân-Ánh is joined by exceptional artists of Blood Moon Orchestra, including Joel Davel, a Marimba Lumina virtuoso, award-winning jazz pianist and rapper Kev Choice, and master percussionist Jimi Nakagawa. This protean quartet, with all four musicians contributing their vocals, blends ancient sounds with modern innovation, creating breathtaking music that transcends genres and cultural boundaries.

Check out the event link here: Great Artists Series ‘25

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Mar
9
2:30 PM14:30

Adelaide Festival. Chamber Landscapes 2025 and Dialogues In Sound

Van-Anh Vannessa Vo, Director of the Blood Moon Orchestra, will join the renowned Kronos Quartet for a captivating performance of Adrift at the Adelaide Festival in Australia. This special event, part of the festival's Horizons: Chamber Landscapes program, promises to be a powerful and immersive musical experience.

This performance at the Adelaide Festival marks an exciting intersection of cultures and musical traditions, showcasing both Vo’s distinctive voice as a composer and the legendary Kronos Quartet’s groundbreaking work in contemporary classical music.

Check out the event link here: Adelaide Festival

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Jan
17
to Jan 19

Harps of Asia - Presented by Stanford Live

In a groundbreaking performance, Blood Moon Orchestra’s Director, Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ joins Stanford Live’s celebration of the harp, uniting virtuosos of the Korean gayageum, Japanese koto, and the Chinese guzheng with her own mastery of Vietnamese dan tranh. This unprecedented event marks the first time audiences will witness all four Asian zithers/harps sharing the stage, promising an evening of unparalleled musical integration and cultural harmony.

Joining Vân-Ánh in this event are Joel Davel (Marimba Lumina, percussion), Jimi Nakagawa (Taiko drum, percussion), Shirley Muramoto (Japanese KOTO master), Hwayoung Shon (Korean GAYAGUM master), and Winnie Wong (Chinese GUZHENG master)

Check out the event link here: Harps of Asia

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Dec
13
to Dec 15

HO ZO Festival, Vietnam. Van-Anh Vanessa Vo & Blood Moon Orchestra

  • Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Blood Moon Orchestra is thrilled to be part of the highly anticipated HOZO International Music Festival 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City! Set to take place from December 13th to December 15th, this year's festival promises to showcase an exciting mix of world-class performances from both international and Vietnamese artists. As part of this vibrant musical celebration, Blood Moon Orchestra looks forward to sharing their unique sound and connecting with music lovers from around the globe. Don't miss this unforgettable experience at one of the largest international music events in Southeast Asia!

Check out HOZO official page here: HOZO Festival

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