Musician Mui Hai.

Born into a musical family, Mui Hai became interested in the melodies of his homeland at a very young age.

“My grandfather was keen on traditional musical instruments and could play the panpipes. My sisters worked in the music and art field. I grew up in a music environment, which influenced my later music career,” said Hai.

Although a Muong ethnic, Mui Hai has written a lot of songs about Thai, Mong, and Kho Mu ethnic people. Hai said he had done a lot of research on the cultures and customs of different ethnic groups to be able to write music about them.

“The Mong, Kho Mu, Muong, and Thai have their own cultural identities and folk melodies. I have studied these characteristics and reflected them in my songs,” he said. 

Mui Hai started writing music when he was 20. He took a music class in Yen Bai province. After finishing his studies in 1980, he worked for the art troupe of Son La province, which is now the Son La traditional art performance theatre. In 1992, Mui Hai studied composing at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music where he was one of very few ethnic students.

Hai now specializes in writing music and choreographing for theatres in Son La and neighboring provinces. He has written nearly 250 musical works, including 150 songs and 50 pieces for dance. His music borrows from folk melodies and reflects the life of ethnic people.