Digital Media Concepts/Trinh Cong Son (Vietnamese songwriter)

Songwriter Trinh Cong Son
Nationality	Vietnamese
Born	Feb 28, 1939
Died	April 1, 2001
Place of birth	Buon Me Thuot, Vietnam
Place of death	Saigon, Vietnam
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Trinh Cong Son

Trinh Cong Son was born on February 28, 1939, in Buôn Ma Thuột, Vietnam, and he passed away on April 1, 2001, in Saigon, Vietnam. He had written many anti-war songs^[1] and love songs^[2] during the Vietnam war. After the Reunification in 1975, he was sent to prison by the communist government. But, he was honored by the authority and many people sent their respects with floral tributes.

Education

Trinh Cong Son attended elementary schools and studied at French high school^[3] in Hue. Unfortunately, his father, Trinh Xuan Thanh, who worked for the revolutionary movement, died in 1955 when he crashed his Vespa in Quang Tri. Between 1956-1957, Son studied at the School run by the Catholic diocese in Hue. After receiving his bachelor degree, Son moved to Saigon where he studied philosophy at Le Quy Don High School^[4] to avoid the draft.

Career

Trinh Cong Son was a teacher in Hue for many years in the mid-1950. However, he decided to give up teaching and became a songwriter. Son's songs were performed by famous singers such as Khanh Ly and Hong Nhung. Lastly, he had been the author of more than 600 songs^[5] which were popular with Vietnamese youth.

Noble work and award

In 2004, Son was a great influential songwriter of the anti-war movement ^[6] and he was one of the sixth honored songwriters at the Second Annual World Peace Music Award^[7] concert in Hanoi. Especially, his peace song Lullaby^[8] was the best hit in Asia during 1969. At this time, Son was sick, but his sister, Trinh Vinh Trinh^[9] was at the United Nations in New York when the award was announced.

Personal life

According to BBC news, Son's family successfully fled to America. After the war ended, some of Son's songs were banned in Vietnam. Son had owned a popular Cabaret in Saigon and he was a heavy drinker through his adult life. Unfortunately, Son was diagnosed with Diabetes mellitus and died in Sai Gon. Finally, Son had left his written composed songs to his sister, so that she would continue his career of writing songs.

Legacy

Trinh Cong Son's songs have influenced other songwriters in Vietnam such as Hoang Thi Tho, Pham Duy, and Van Cao about the power of love and the patriotism of his own country^[10]. They believed that the beauty and the patriotism of Son's songs will create a better world. Furthermore, Son's songs has performed many times by an Italian saxophonist, Fulvio Albano^[11]. Finally, Son's songs have involved the beauty of the Vietnamese culture and the power of the Vietnamese language that influenced Fulvio^[12].