Applauded for her “flowing fusion of musical styles” (San Francisco Classical Voice), Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ is a composer awarded with an Emmy who has partnered with the Kronos Quartet, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and Yo-Yo Ma.
At 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, Võ and her group, the Blood Moon Orchestra, will deliver a close-knit recital at the E. Desmond Lee Auditorium as part of WashU’s Great Artists Series.
A master of the 16-string đàn tranh (zither), Võ also utilizes the monochord (đàn bầu), bamboo xylophone (đàn t’rung), traditional drums (trống), and many additional instruments to fuse traditional Vietnamese melodies with innovative structures, styles, and compositions.
In 2016, Võ established the Blood Moon Orchestra as a collective of immigrant artists — consisting of Japanese, Iranian, African American, Turkish, and Irish musicians — who are all composers, performers, and educators. Their goal is to encourage cultural awareness and appreciation while shining a light on political and social matters and pushing the limits and potential of their specific instruments.
Explore the complete biography on the music website.
Great Artists Series
Organized by WashU’s Department of Music in Arts & Sciences, the Great Artists Series showcases some of the leading talents on the modern concert scene to the audience in St. Louis.
Võ’s performance will mark the conclusion of the 2025 season. Discover more about the 2026 season lineup here. New subscriptions will become available on May 7. Sales for single tickets will commence on Sept. 8.
Tickets and related events
Võ’s performance is set to start at 7 p.m. on April 6 in WashU’s E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall. Tickets are priced at $35-40, or $32-37 for WashU faculty and staff, and $15 for students and children. The E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall is located within the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., at the corner with Delmar Boulevard. Tickets can be procured through the Edison Theatre Box Office, 314-935-6543. For further details, check out music.wustl.edu.
The Great Artists Series is made feasible with support from the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.
The article Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ and the Blood Moon Orchestra April 6 first appeared on The Source.