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Trần Văn Khê (1921-2015) was a musician, teacher, academic, and writer from Vietnam. He was raised by his aunt and uncle who taught him music from a young age--Vietnamese stringed instruments and drums in particular. He earned his PhD in Musicology and carried out research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. His focus was on Asian music, particularly Indian, Persian, Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic musical traditions. During his lifetime, Trần Văn Khê published a variety of articles and taught over a thousand students. In 2008, he was named an Honorary Member of the International Music Council of UNESCO.