Praised by The Boston Globe for his “subtle, graceful virtuosity” and by Soundboard for an
“exquisite sense of space, touch, and mood,” guitarist An Tran approaches performance with
purpose, guided by a belief in music as a shared human experience.
A Vietnamese guitarist based in the United States, Tran serves as a bridge between cultures and
traditions. From his debut recording to his most recent projects, he has focused on bringing
Vietnamese music into contemporary classical contexts while collaborating closely with living
composers from around the world. Many of these collaborations have resulted in works written
specifically for him, inspired by people and places central to his life and shaped with an
understanding of his technical range and expressive voice.
His debut album, Stay, My Beloved (Frameworks Records, 2020), presents Vietnamese repertoirethrough traditional melodies and contemporary works. The recording was praised as “deeply moving music at its best” and named among the Chicago Tribune’s “Recordings of the Year.” In 2023, he released Napoléon Coste: Guitar Works, Vol. 6 on Naxos, noted by American Record Guide for its “immaculate ornaments and cultivated sense of phrasing.” A new album, scheduled for release in 2026, will feature newly commissioned works written for Tran by composers from around the world.
Tran has appeared in leading concert series and festivals worldwide, including the Guitar Society
of Toronto, New York Classical Guitar Society, Segovia Classical Guitar Series, New Orleans
International Guitar Festival, and Bangkok Guitar Society. His performances have been featured
on Performance Today, Classical Guitar Alive!, and Vietnam Television (VTV). Early in his
career, he was a top-prize winner at more than a dozen international competitions and was named one of Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s “10 Rising Stars of Classical Guitar.”
After beginning his training in Vietnam, Tran earned degrees from North Park University, Yale
University, and Northwestern University. He teaches at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College
of Performing Arts, the University of Illinois Chicago, and Northern Illinois University, where
he founded the NIU International Guitar Concert Series. He is also the founder of the annual An
Tran’s International Guitar Workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam; Co-Founder and Artistic Director of
Chicago Artopia.
An Tran performs on guitars by Stephan Connor and is a D’Addario Artist.
“exquisite sense of space, touch, and mood,” guitarist An Tran approaches performance with
purpose, guided by a belief in music as a shared human experience.
A Vietnamese guitarist based in the United States, Tran serves as a bridge between cultures and
traditions. From his debut recording to his most recent projects, he has focused on bringing
Vietnamese music into contemporary classical contexts while collaborating closely with living
composers from around the world. Many of these collaborations have resulted in works written
specifically for him, inspired by people and places central to his life and shaped with an
understanding of his technical range and expressive voice.
His debut album, Stay, My Beloved (Frameworks Records, 2020), presents Vietnamese repertoirethrough traditional melodies and contemporary works. The recording was praised as “deeply moving music at its best” and named among the Chicago Tribune’s “Recordings of the Year.” In 2023, he released Napoléon Coste: Guitar Works, Vol. 6 on Naxos, noted by American Record Guide for its “immaculate ornaments and cultivated sense of phrasing.” A new album, scheduled for release in 2026, will feature newly commissioned works written for Tran by composers from around the world.
Tran has appeared in leading concert series and festivals worldwide, including the Guitar Society
of Toronto, New York Classical Guitar Society, Segovia Classical Guitar Series, New Orleans
International Guitar Festival, and Bangkok Guitar Society. His performances have been featured
on Performance Today, Classical Guitar Alive!, and Vietnam Television (VTV). Early in his
career, he was a top-prize winner at more than a dozen international competitions and was named one of Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s “10 Rising Stars of Classical Guitar.”
After beginning his training in Vietnam, Tran earned degrees from North Park University, Yale
University, and Northwestern University. He teaches at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College
of Performing Arts, the University of Illinois Chicago, and Northern Illinois University, where
he founded the NIU International Guitar Concert Series. He is also the founder of the annual An
Tran’s International Guitar Workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam; Co-Founder and Artistic Director of
Chicago Artopia.
An Tran performs on guitars by Stephan Connor and is a D’Addario Artist.