Raised in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam, he comes from a family of prominent musicians conversant in musical genres that span the Vietnamese musical spectrum from theatrical to chamber music, folk songs to Buddhist chants. He is a traditionally-trained musician who studied with a village master from the age of five. 

At the age of 13, he took up Vietnamese theater music and went on to perform both tai tu music, a more formal entertainment musical tradition. He also studied with mountain tribal musicians and learned the bamboo instruments. He left his native land in 1974 and went on to receive his doctorate in ethnomusicology from the Sorbonne University. Since moving to the United States he has performed extensively throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe and taught at the University of Washington, U.C.L.A., and Kent State University. He can be heard on the Lyrichord, New Alliance Records, and Music of the World/World Music Institute labels

Nguyen points out that because the separation of social classes is minimal in Vietnamese culture, folk music and art music share many traits and are more similar than in Western societies. "The folk music is principally vocal," he says, explaining their differences. "Meanwhile, in art music there’s vocal and instrumental music together. Folk songs are sung without accompaniment. They’re chanted in the fields while people are working. They don’t bring instruments with them." 

Traditional Music of Vietnam (Lyrichord)

Vietnamese Music (World Music Enterprises)

Song of the Banyan (Music of the World/World Music Institute)