Vân-Ánh Võ and
Blood Moon Orchestra
Songs of Strength

Cal Performances audiences already know Vân-Ánh Võ as a riveting instrumentalist through her many collaborations with Kronos Quartet—most recently performing in Jonathan Berger’s gripping My Lai. Originally from Vietnam and based in Northern California for nearly 20 years, Võ is a virtuoso performer of the 16-string dan tranh (zither), as well as an adventurous ensemble leader and Emmy Award-winning composer. 

In the world premiere of her latest project, she celebrates the voices and struggles of women and immigrants by placing the music from her native culture in conversation with contemporary sounds from around the world. Võ’s Songs of Strength features a vibrant collection of voices—Iranian singer/songwriter Mahsa Vahdat [see Kronos Quartet], rapper Kev Choice, and breakdancer Tunjie, plus her multicultural Blood Moon Orchestra—with texts in English, Persian, and Vietnamese. 

“Võ is a veteran when it comes to taking risks, and it pays off in her compelling music” (NPR).

An Illuminations:”Place and Displacement” event.

Patron Sponsors: Jerome and Thao Dodson

The run time for this performance is approximately 70 minutes, without intermission.

Parking will be a problem on campus for this performance due to a Cal Football game versus USC.

Most, if not all, University parking lots will be reserved for game patrons and city-owned lots may have a limited number of spots available. Traffic will be heavy. We advise you to arrive early and to seriously consider alternative transportation.

Please see our Parking Alert section for more information.