Continuing with their goal to bring to the table a different musical experience, 8 the Theatre returns this month with a new project to combine classical music with a contemporary stage.
8 the Theatre is a group of young creatives sharing a common interest in providing the young audience in Vietnam with a taste of less-popular genres. Since 2020, the music organization has launched a number of performance programs with fresh concepts, such as the series Jazzis, where young musicians try their hand — or in this case, their voice — at singing old classics in a jazz style.
This year, 8 the Theater is returning with a slightly altered recipe for their live sessions, albeit still sticking to the principle of “renewing old genres,” with their CAM project — short for Classic and More.
CAM seeks to rearrange classical music with added flairs from other genres like pop, rock or R&B. Performing for CAM, guest artists have a chance to put beside the glitz and glam of the big stage and electronic sounds for something a little bit more stripped-back.
Organizing CAM based on an unplugged concept, 8 the Theatre hopes that listeners can find excitement in encountering their favorite songs in a different reincarnation. Participating guest stars are invited to pick favorite hits from their personal repertoire to reintroduce to the audience. Each song is refreshed with a classical-forward rearrangement, in collaboration with symphonic classical musicians.
The inaugural session for CAM is ‘Quán Cơm Ngày Mưa,’ a distinctive hit of Hanoi-based singer Kiên. The song still retains its cheeky lyrics and Kiên’s endearing personality, but the new arrangement provides more layers to the composition, with piano, cello and violin parts added.
Hoàng Anh, the project’s communication manager, tells Saigoneer that 8 the Theatre wants to create a “playground” so young musicians can flex their creative muscles, discover a new side of their musicality, and perhaps showcase a more mellow expression of their compositions. It’s also a space for them to gain more knowledge regarding classical music.
“Besides, we hope that this is an opportunity for classical music to reach out to young listeners. Hopefully, once the pandemic situation improves, CAM live shows can take place so listening to quality performances during the weekend becomes a routine for young Vietnamese,” Hoàng Anh adds.
CAM’s first phase runs from December 4 to January 9 with six music videos published online. Apart from Kiên, viewers can expect to see other familiar names like Pink Frog, Nguyệt Hạ, etc. The second phase is expected to begin in 2022 with live events.
Visit Classic and More’s website for more details.
