After many years of trying to turn windows, neon lamps, water pipes and just about anything else into musical instruments, Mai Dinh Toi is seemingly reaching his pinnacle of success. From an unknown instrumentalist, he was listed in the Vietnam Guinness Book in 2005 and has become a member of the Guinness World Record because of his unique performances, such as playing a flute with his nose, playing two flutes at the same time, etc. He has been dubbed a "wizard" of musical instruments.

In 1992, at the national instrumental-playing competition, artist Mai Dinh Toi won a Silver Medal and left long-lasting impressions on audiences with his performance, using his mouth to play a flute while using his legs to play a drum.nbsp; To achieve this feat, it took him seven years of hard training to be able to flute harmoniously to the sounds of the drum beats.

For him “Music is like a river, running towards the sea and bringing about fertile soil to serve life”. Mai Dinh Toi has never felt satisfied with himself and always ponders over ways to create more unique musical instruments with different tunes. Each instrument has its own characteristics so the artist must use it creatively.

Mai Dinh Toi has 10 unusual instruments in his unique collection, some of which are an instrument made from 11 glass bottles tied to each other; another made from an aluminium door which can be played like a guitar; one made from a water-pipe; one made by attaching two neon lamps in a cross-shape which imitates Viet Nam’s dan nhi (a sort of vertical violin with two strings of braided silk, a long handle and a sound box covered by a membrane of snake skin) but only has one string, another made by combining 11 bowls together, etc.

Mai Dinh Toi has performed successfully many music genres and won several domestic and foreign prizes.nbsp; To obtain such great achievements, the artist has spent much time and effort experimenting on different objects in the hope of creating a new instrument.nbsp; It doesn’t always work out the way he hoped. He once tried in vain to make music from porcelain pots which he had to transport in a lorry from Binh Duong Province. The result was not good and all his efforts were fruitless. Another time

Mai Dinh Toi with his wacky musical instrument made from plastic pipes.

while playing with glass bottles he cut his lips which bled profusely and puffed up like balloons.

Over the past ten years, artist Mai Dinh Toi with his own music instruments has performed in over 30 countries and his performances have surprised and fascinated the audiences and the music circle. “The largest prize for me is the applause of audiences after each performance. Furthermore, it is very rewarding when creating sweet and melodious sounds from my own music instruments,” said Toi.nbsp;

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Story by Bich Van
Photos by Thanh Datnbsp;