Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong: Standing behind, keeping the rhythm, and passing on the passion.

"The Ghost of the Conservatory"

PV: When the audience sees you on stage, they see a drummer always standing behind the scenes, yet keeping the rhythm for everyone. So, what led you to choose drums – a position that isn't flashy, but is incredibly important in music?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:I have two talents within me: singing and playing drums. But when I decided to pursue professional training, I realized I was better suited to a supporting role, one where I could assist others. I enjoy the feeling of seeing others succeed with my contribution. Later, performing on many large stages and teaching, I realized that drums are a very special instrument; they were one of the first instruments used by humankind. From prehistoric times, humans used the sound of drumming to communicate. Later, through the various stages of musical history, drums came to be considered the instrument of leaders.

PV: Everyone has a first encounter with their favorite musical instrument. Do you remember the moment you first played the drums, and what were your feelings like then?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:Yes. The first time I ever played was on a Vietnamese drum set. My mother and I bought it for 1.4 million dong. When I got home, I played it day and night, to the point that anyone who knew I lived in the old Quang Trung area, near Vinh Stadium, would ask me: "Do you know anyone who plays drums?" I'd just laugh and say: "That's me!"

PV: Mentioning you immediately brings to mind the nickname "the ghost of the conservatory." It sounds strange, yet sparks a lot of curiosity. What was your journey like behind that name?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:When pursuing a professional career, every weekend I had to travel from Vinh to Hanoi to find a teacher. I'd leave by bus on Saturday morning, submit my assignments on Sunday, and return in the evening to attend cultural classes in Vinh on Monday. I maintained this routine for several months. Because I wasn't an official student of the Conservatory, I didn't get priority access to practice rooms. So I practiced from late evening until 4 am the next morning. That's why the canteen lady called me "the conservatory ghost," because you only heard the drums but rarely saw me. That nickname has stuck with me ever since, as a lecturer at the Vietnam National Academy of Music.

PV: From those quiet days of training to standing on a big stage, it must have been a very special transition. Do you remember the first time you truly "touched" a big stage?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:Perhaps it was passion combined with a bit of luck that made it not too difficult for me to "touch" a big stage. It was a Countdown show at the Grand Theatre. When I was a freshman, I told a friend that I would be on that stage the following year. And I did it. It's a very memorable milestone.

The leader of many famous bands.

PV: Throughout their careers, artists often have a mentor who leaves a very deep impression. For you, who has had the greatest influence on your musical thinking?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:He wasn't an artist, but my first teacher who introduced me to music, Mr. Hoang Tung. I always called him Uncle Tung. He also instilled in me the mindset of an artist but with the mindset of a teacher. He's also the teacher of many famous Vietnamese drummers. He taught me how to bring my personality into music and how to adapt to different performance environments. The important thing isn't how many genres you can play, but understanding what you're doing in each situation.

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong is a lecturer in the Drum Department at the Vietnam National Academy of Music.

He is a versatile drummer and the founder of several bands, including Ngũ Cung, I Tễu, and the Maius Philharmonic Orchestra.

He is currently the leader of the Watercolor and Picker Band.

Interviewer: You're a drummer who plays many different genres, from pop, rock, ballads to symphonies. So what helps you avoid "fragmentation" while still maintaining your unique identity?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:From my time studying music to joining bands, and even now, in most of the bands I've been with, I've held the role of founder or leader. Therefore, I understand my mission is to be responsible for the entire group. Pressure is unavoidable, but it's that pressure that has helped me grow through each difficult stage. If I had to name a common thread, I think it would be "mission"—a mission not only to pursue my profession, but also to inspire young people who are starting their musical journey.

PV: So how do you view the role of a "leader" in a band?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:It's not just about playing music; a leader has to observe, connect with, and be responsible for the entire group. Sometimes they have to arrive earlier, stay later, and do more, but they're not always seen. However, when that band achieves success, the leader is always the first person mentioned. Everything has its price…

Interviewer: At 40, when many people tend to settle down, you're forming a new band. What keeps you maintaining that "starting over" spirit?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:This is a question I get asked quite often: Why do you join so many bands, and why do you often form and then leave them? Actually, even now, as I'm forming a new band at the age of 40, many people ask: Will this be your last band? But for me, the most important thing in art is to always be creative, always exploring and innovating. When I want to experience a new musical space, I start a new journey. It's this need for exploration that motivates me to meet like-minded people and build a band together.

PV: So what did you do to harmonize the musical personalities within the band?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:I think what I do best isn't playing the drums, but connecting with people. I don't give up easily, and I'm quite persistent in persuading others. There have been times when I've had to sit for hours just to build trust. For example, with a member of the Rhapsody Philharmonic Orchestra, I sat at their house from 7 PM to 1 AM to convince their family to let them join. I've also tried to convince many people to join my projects. But ultimately, the most important thing is listening, because only when I truly understand them can they trust me.

PV: Looking back at projects like Ngũ Cung, Màu Nước, the Maius Philharmonic Orchestra, or Picker, which band gave you the most lessons about the mindset of a leader, and why?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:Each band I've been with has given me very different values. With Ngu Cung, it was a big challenge. I took on the role of drummer in a famous rock band, playing progressive – a genre that's not easy. Ngu Cung helped me develop a more professional mindset for running a band: knowing how to hire a manager, build a technical team to operate a systematic system.

Joining the Rhapsody Philharmonic, with its orchestra size exceeding 40 people, made me more aware of my responsibilities. It was no longer a matter of an individual or a small band, but about organization, coordination, and discipline.

Sau đó là I Tễu – một ban nhạc hoạt động không dài, nhưng lại cho mình cảm hứng để tiếp tục thành lập những dự án mới, sau khi mình trở về từ Úc.

"Với Nguyễn Hùng Cường, tôi đặc biệt ấn tượng bởi 3 yếu tố: Thứ nhất, Cường là trái tim của ban nhạc, luôn dẫn dắt anh em trên sân khấu rất chắc chắn. Thứ hai là sự máu lửa, năng lượng của Cường lúc nào cũng khiến anh em trong band hứng lên khi chơi. Và thứ ba là sự sáng tạo từ cách tiếp cận bài, cách đánh trống cho đến cách xử lý âm nhạc" , Long Nguyễn - GĐ âm nhạc Ban nhạc Màu nước

Với Màu Nước, đó là một hành trình rất khác. Ở đây, anh em chơi với nhau như một gia đình. Mình vừa là drummer, vừa là người quản lý, vừa là leader. Và đến bây giờ, có những học trò của mình đã bắt đầu thay mình đứng trên sân khấu cùng ban nhạc.

Màu Nước cũng đang bước vào một giai đoạn chuyển mình. Mình nhận ra ở độ tuổi này, mình cần đưa vào đó những năng lượng mới, những gương mặt trẻ để ban nhạc luôn được làm mới, luôn tiếp tục chuyển động.

Còn với dự án mới, Picker – đó là một không gian âm nhạc khác. Đây là ban nhạc của những người đàn ông đã đi qua nhiều thăng trầm, đã trải nghiệm thất bại, tổn thương và cả sự bình yên. Chúng mình gặp nhau, mang theo những câu chuyện của riêng mình, rồi cùng nhau chuyển hóa những trải nghiệm đó thành âm nhạc.

Và khát khao tạo giá trị

P.V: Từ sân khấu đến giảng đường là một hành trình rất khác. Khi trở thành giảng viên của Học viện Âm nhạc Quốc gia Việt Nam, anh xem đó là một cơ duyên hay một lựa chọn có chủ đích?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong: Như mình đã nói, khi đã gọi là sứ mệnh thì nhiều khi mình không có quyền lựa chọn. Mình chỉ có thể làm nó bằng tất cả sự cống hiến của mình. Đến thời điểm này, khi đứng ở vai trò là một người thầy, mình hiểu rõ vị trí và trách nhiệm của mình trong xã hội: Không chỉ đào tạo người chơi nhạc, mà là tạo ra những nghệ sĩ có ảnh hưởng. Và điều quan trọng hơn cả, như mình đã học từ thầy của mình, là trước khi tạo ra một nghệ sĩ, mình phải giúp các bạn trở thành một con người đúng nghĩa. Mình vẫn luôn nói với học trò của mình: Phải trở thành người trước khi trở thành tài.

"In every song, every performance space, Cuong always knows how to elevate the music – making everything more harmonious, deeper, and richer in emotion. Depending on the stage, Cuong will 'breathe life' into the work, giving singers like Ha Le more space, more emotion, and more inspiration to give their all," said singer Ha Le.

Interviewer: We understand that you have students with very special circumstances. What motivates you to persevere and find unique teaching methods for them?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:To date, I've had over 1,000 students across the country, and even abroad, thanks to my online courses. But among them, there are some very special students who have left a lasting impression on me.

First, there's Ha Duc Anh Quy from Da Nang. He lost one leg but is very passionate about drumming. When Quy contacted me, I wondered if he really had enough passion to pursue it. I asked him to send me a video of him playing the drums. When I watched it, I was very surprised because he played like a normal person. Quy told me, "For me, drumming is life." Hearing that, I decided to give him a scholarship to study in Hanoi. Now, Quy not only continues his profession but has also become a well-known drummer in Da Nang. Even during difficult times, he still messages me.

Another case is Vu Chi Duong from Phu Tho. When he first started learning, I didn't know he was visually impaired. It wasn't until the second lesson, when he couldn't do the exercises, that I realized he had a vision problem. When I asked him, he said he was afraid that if he told me, I wouldn't teach him anymore. But for me, those disabilities don't hinder music. Music isn't created to differentiate between superior and inferior, but to help people overcome their limitations. I created a personalized curriculum for Duong: I enlarged the sheet music, taught him through listening and imitation first, and then moved on to theory. To this day, Duong still studies with me and always tells me that he wants to enter the Conservatory of Music and become a drummer. For me, students like him are the reason I continue in this profession.

PV: As a performing artist and leader of several bands, what are your plans for the future?

Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong:My plans for the future can be summed up in two words: Creating "value." As a performing artist, I create value for the public through music. As a teacher, I create value for parents by accompanying and educating their children on their artistic journey. Furthermore, music is not just a passion, but a profession. Therefore, I always aim to help young people, after completing their studies, find a clear path and a stable career to pursue long-term.

PV: Thank you, Drummer Nguyen Hung Cuong, for this interesting conversation.

Le Trang