THU LE, an influential guitarist from Vietnam, has been spending time in India intermittently since 2009, teaching at colleges in Delhi and Gurgoan. Lorenzo Bernardi first tasted the Indian terrains as a backpacker in North India. The duo are now back again in the country for a four-city tour — through Dimapur, Kolkata, Imphal and Guwahati — to promote Italian classical guitar culture. At the ninth edition of the Calcutta International Classical Guitar Festival, the duo played a repertoire of Italian music across all periods of time — from Baroque to the modern era, while paying tribute to Rossin on his 150th death anniversary. We caught up with them on the sidelines of the show, before they headed to Imphal and Guwahati. Excerpts:
You debuted as a duo this year, with trips to three countries. How has the journey been so far as a team?
Thu Le: For the first year, we already had three concerts in three different countries in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. We had a good time practising together, and being on stage together as well.
Lorenzo Bernardi: We like to work as a team. We have very different musical backgrounds and cultures, and I think that is what makes our duo interesting.
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What was it like, to perform in Kolkata?
TL: I am not a stranger to India. I lived here for five years in the past and I’ve been back a few times after I left the country. Each time I come back, it is very emotional — it’s like coming home. I am proud to bring our special Italian repertoire to the audience. Besides performing, we are also looking forward to teaching masterclasses and being on the jury for the competition. I feel like I’m home when I’m in India!
LB: We play Italian music, and we hope to spread the classical guitar culture and repertoire in India.
Thu Le is from Vietnam and you are from Italy.
How did this combination happen and how has it influenced your music?
TL: It is a very special combination. We are a girl and boy — Asian and European. But luckily, I also hold an Italian passport. This helps with organising concerts and touring, and getting support from the Embassy. LB: The combination happened because we met in a competition in Petra Spain. My friends and I did a road trip from Italy to Petrea. Thu Le had to go back to Italy as well, so she joined us. Our first concert was in Bahrain earlier this year, where Thu lives. And we kept going.
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What do you enjoy the most — solos, duets or group performances?
TL: I play mostly as a solo guitarist. I have done a lot of collaborations with violin, orchestra, voice, and even Indian instruments. I can’t say which one I enjoy the most. Each kind of performance and each performer brings a different feel. For sure, touring as a duo is more fun.
LB: I enjoy playing as a duo and solo equally.
Are you looking to collaborate with any Indian artiste?
TL: I’d love to collaborate with Indian artistes. In the past, I have done a lot of collaborations. The last was about three years ago, when we did a collaboration with a tabla player.
Lorenzo: Indian music is very interesting, and I would like to discover more about it.
Any plans for new albums?
TL: Though there are no plans for any new album as of now, but I did work on new compositions as a soloist. We did make a few videos together, each time we had a tour in Bahrain, and Italy. With time and experience, we’d love to have our own compositions. I hope Lorenzo will support me with this too. Lorenzo: Our main focus is to further develop this Italian project.