An Tran

Applied Artist

An Tran is an internationally acclaimed Vietnamese classical guitarist and winner of over 13 international competitions and awards. Based in Chicago, An has been praised for his “gorgeous playing” and “flawless technique” by the KnoxTNToday, and received many accolades for his dynamic artistry including being hailed as a “Vietnamese guitar virtuoso” by Austin Classical Guitar. Crafting his signature style by merging world cultures with Vietnamese classical music, he was invited to teach, perform and judge at various festivals including the Milwaukee Latino Arts Guitar Festival, Latin-American International Guitar Festival, New Orleans International Guitar Festival, Hamilton International Guitar Festival (Canada) and Lone Star Guitar Festival (Texas).

Building on the momentum of his many successes, An collaborated with Vietnamese composers Nguyen The-An and Dang Ngoc Long for his latest seven-track solo album entitled “Stay, My Beloved”, which was described by Classical Guitar Magazine as “to make the year-end Top Ten list of my favorite classical guitar albums of the year.” Released on Frameworks Records in 2020, the album portrays varying elements of traditional instruments expressed by An’s virtuosic guitar playing. Taking listeners on an emotional journey through the rich soundscapes of Vietnam, An is set to grace the stages in Germany, France and Spain on his upcoming European CD release tour.

An has captivated audiences throughout North America and Asia, including concerts for Bangkok Guitar Society, Toronto International Guitar Series and will be performing at the prestigious Segovia Classical Guitar Series in Chicago. He won several International Guitar Competitions in Berlin, New Orleans, Rhode Island and the Society of American Musicians in Chicago, among many others.

Gaining inspiration from the interconnectedness of music, cultures and people, An developed and refined his skills and techniques for over two decades and studied in master classes with many world-renowned guitarists. He received his B.A. in music and the Distinguished Young Alumni Award from North Park University, studying with Julie Goldberg and Tom Zelle and his Master of Music along with the Southeast Asia Studies Fellowship from Yale University, studying with Benjamin Verdery. An earned his Doctor of Musical Arts from Northwestern University as a Dorothy and Carl Johnson endowed candidate, studying with Anne Waller. He continues to transcend boundaries with his music. 

An Tran is an exclusive artist of D’Addario and managed by Jean Schreiber Management/Classics Alive Artists in Los Angeles, USA. An performs on guitars made by Stephan Connor in Boston. Follow An on Instagram/Facebook: @antranguitar. Concert dates and more information can be found his website.

Credentials

D.M.A., Northwestern University

M.M., Yale University

Duties

Classical Guitar

Contact

atran@niu.edu

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Music Building
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - noon
1 - 4:30 p.m.
815-753-1551
music@niu.edu

Austyn V. Menk
Music Admissions Coordinator
815-753-6306
avmenk@niu.edu

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