(VOVworld) – Professor Tran Van Khe, known as the master of traditional Vietnamese music, died at the age of 94 on Wednesday, after a month-long illness at a Ho Chi Minh City hospital.

Legendary Vietnamese musicologist Tran Van Khe (photo: tuoitrenews.vn)

Professor Khe, a seasoned musicologist and performer of traditional music, is the first Vietnamese to receive a doctoral degree in musicology from the University of Paris-Sorbonne in 1958. He was a lecturer in Asian music at the university between 1966 and 1988.

He was a member of honor of the International Musical Council and won the UNESCO International Music Council prize in 1981.

He had wide experience as a researcher and teacher, and made huge contributions to promoting Vietnamese music and culture to the world. During his time living and working in France, Mr. Khe made short visits to Vietnam to meet with local artists and learn more about Vietnam’s traditional music.

The Vietnamese government awarded him many medals, including Vietnam’s first-class Labor Medal and an honorary doctorate. Khe was a permanent member of the UNESCO International Music Council.