The khaens: diversity and richness of Laos’s musical heritage

About

For the opening of the France–Laos Festival, the French Embassy and the Institut français du Laos, in collaboration with Sorbonne Université, present a lecture rich in sound, bringing together on stage specialists and musicians from several provinces of Laos to illustrate, through live music, the great richness of the country’s musical heritage. Given in French with simultaneous interpretation into Lao, the lecture offers a sonic and visual overview of the great musical diversity of mouth organs, through the many forms of khaen that embody Lao musical identity and the country’s multi-ethnicity and lie at the heart of its musical heritage. Visuals and pieces played live by eight musicians illustrate the talk throughout the evening, hence the name “lecture-concert”. A fundamental part of Laos’s soundscape, the khaen joined UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. The lecture-concert is led by Véronique de Lavenère, musicologist, doctor and senior lecturer at Sorbonne Université, who contributed as an expert to the UNESCO inscription of khaen music and has championed this remarkable heritage for many years. The event celebrates the long-standing ties between France and Laos with the Ministry of Culture of the Lao PDR, as well as scientific research on Lao music and culture. It also opens a window onto the world of women: Véronique de Lavenère, who with Mrs Kongdeuane Nattavong was one of the first two women to play the khaen in Laos, an instrument long reserved for men, and two great voices of Laos, Vongvilay Opimksakda (Lao) and Hem Sy La Tan (Khmu). Speakers and musicians Véronique de Lavenère — lecturer, musicologist, doctor and senior lecturer at Sorbonne Université, khaen player Leuth Many Inxisiengmai — expert in Lao culture, artist, artistic adviser on the art-and-science projects led with Véronique de Lavenère and Sorbonne Université Khamsouane Vongthongkham — mo khaen, head of the traditional music department at the National School of Music in Vientiane Densavanh Chanthakhad — molam singer Vongvilay Opimksakda — molam singer Champa Khamkhengsy — Khmu singer and Khmu khaen player Done Yuang In Sy — Khmu khaen player Hem Sy La Tan — Khmu singer Phayalee po Thotuly — Hmong khaen player