It appears that Chris Latham, a man of goodness, came to this world as an artist and has been using the power of music as a means to pray for the fallen and to heal the wounds of those who were deeply affected by wars.

Chris Latham, a conductor and composer, has created and directed The Vietnam Requiem Concert to mark the 50th anniversary of the withdrawal of the Australian Army from South Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War. The concert is to honour and pray for those who made the ultimate sacrifice, to heal the physical and emotional wounds and scars suffered by veterans and their families, and to assuage the trauma of those that risked their lives to flee on boats.

For research and to set the context for the concert which will be held on the 5th and 6th of June 2021 in Canberra, Chris consulted widely with the Vietnamese Community in Australia Victoria Chapter (VCA VIC) and their members.

In an incense burning ceremony, Chris paid his respects at the Vietnamese ancestral altar, saluting the Australian and South Vietnamese flags, and observed one minute of silence. After that, Chris began playing the song "Back to Galang" by the musician Hung Phan (Phan Văn Hưng), which will feature within the concerts repertoire.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Chris burst into tears when he reflected on Hung Phan and his song "Back to Galang", as he recounted the pain and suffering that Vietnamese people had experienced during the war and in its aftermath, as told in their own stories. Specially, those stories focused on the gulags (the "concentration/re-education" camps), and on the gruesome and atrocious piracy that Boat People encountered fleeing Vietnam in search of freedom. Stories that Chris struggled to comprehend and were difficult to imagine as true.

Chris felt deeply honoured when Hung Phan kindly agreed to participate in the Vietnam Requiem concert by singing two songs - "The Little Girl and the Pebbles" and "Back to Galang". These heart breaking songs express the suffering of Vietnamese people when they escaped Vietnam by land or sea in search of freedom. Those who experienced such traumatic wounds often felt that they had no more tears to cry.

In his research, Chris also received the guidance, advice and cooperation from many prominent members of the Australian Vietnamese community such as Mr. Quang Luu (Lưu Tường Quang), Former Head of SBS Radio, Father Chu Van Chi (Chu văn Chi).

The Vietnam Requiem Concert will recount the history of the Vietnam War, presented and expressed through music. The concert program will move through each period punctuated by the chronological events spanning from 1955 to 1975, from the time Vietnam was divided into two independent countries to Australia’s participation in the war and the Fall of Saigon on April 30th, 1975, followed by waves of boat people.

"I only have love in my heart" Chris is quoted in saying, expressing his sentiments as to the reason for his concert and his wish to honour and pay tribute to the fallen. "In Australia there is no controversy about this, this is not political", Chris said.

In his journey to find facts and the truth, Chris adheres to the values and standards required by the Australian War Memorial office by only presenting facts and materials that are "true, accurate, proportionate and fair". However, Chris concedes that his actions have resulted in him being closely monitored and subject to hacking and surveillance by foreign states.

In order to present a historically factual concert about the Vietnam War, Chris requests comments and feedback and is open to collaborating with the Vietnamese community with regard to any shortcomings.

Chris regards music as a language that transcends all boundaries, a language of the soul that goes straight to the heart. Perhaps this is why Chris uses music as prayer for the dead and to heal the pain for the living.

While kneeling, Chris sang "The Beatitudes", which was translated into Vietnamese by Hung Phan as a prayer with words that are appropriate for the main religions in Vietnam - one verse for Christianity and one for Buddhism using a Buddhist mantra.

(Notes: "The Beatitudes" has been translated into Vietnamese with the title "Tám Mối Phúc Thật" (Eight Beatitudes). However, in this context, Hung Phan has translated "The Beatitudes" into Vietnamese with artistic licence that evokes musical emotions by words that are both religious, that also harmonises with the melody.)

After his performance, Chris received many positive feedback with many expressing their appreciation for Chris's kindness and goodwill. Those that were listening believed that others will understand and feel the heart of Chris. This is an easy-to-listen, easy-to-sing-to song and very moving because the prayer expresses the unity, harmony between religions, in a cross-cultural perspective. A song that brings faith and happiness into people's hearts and minds that would spiritually connect the realms of goodness. The song would be the soul of the concert as all its verses are interwoven.

The musical value of this song is not just the melodic framework and the lyrics, it goes beyond the artistic value, which is the heart and soul that Chris poured into the performance, as it brings everyone together through a prayer irrespective of religion.

While talking with Chris, people can see Chris’ kindness, gentleness, humility and compassion, which are hidden in an artist with a heart who wants to pray for the dead and to ease the pain for the living through love.

When asked about the purpose of The Vietnam Requiem Concert, Chris recounted that he almost died on an operating table when he was 2 years old. Miraculously, he was brought back to life. Later when growing up, Chris feels that he was given a second chance with the mission to alleviate human suffering, especially victims of wars. Therefore, Chris believes that with his dedicated efforts and devotion to fulfil his life's mission, he will one day, be able to return home (Heaven).

Though Chris is a Catholic, the teachings of Buddhism of the law of cause and effect (karma) is something that resonates with him. Chris always has sympathy and compassion for life while also looking forward to receiving understanding, acceptance and sympathy from everyone.

Chris thinks that either he was a Vietnamese in his previous life, or he was linked to the Vietnamese by destiny. Chris wants to create this project to let Australians know about the tragic stories of the Vietnamese people.

Chris has requested that those that are able to share their stories with him to do so, as their stories will enable him to gain further inspiration to turn them into music and share the Vietnamese people's experiences with the wider Australian community.

This is a valuable opportunity to contribute true stories, relics and memorabilia reflecting the history of the Vietnam War to be preserved and displayed at the Australian War Memorial offices.

Chris' heart and ethos is to "give a voice both to the lost, and to those who lost them".

There are things Chris cannot do because of diplomatic limitations, such as to fly the South Vietnamese flag, but Chris insists that he will always be loyal to the truth and loyal to the free Vietnamese community.

Chris has been working for over 18 months to compile the Vietnam Requiem concert program, which will recount the history of the Vietnam War, expressed through music and displayed on the screen, all of which will be kept in the Australian War Memorial collection.

To conclude the meeting, Chris recited the lyrics of "The Boat People's Prayer" which is a song that will be performed towards the end of the concert. During the meeting, Ms. Hoang Nguyen (Nguyễn Như Hoàng), Mr. Bon Nguyen (Nguyễn văn Bon) and Mr. Phong Nguyen (Nguyễn Thế Phong) assisted Chris in the interpretation.

The Vietnam Requiem concert is part of the Australian War Memorial project, which is a part of the main project "The Flowers of War" of which Chris is the Artistic Director who creates and directs commemorative repertoires, designed to help heal the wound left on people's bodies and minds from the wars that Australia was involved in. These commemorative concerts are intended to be a gift to Australia.

Before bidding his farewell, Chris had some pictures and religious statues as gifts for everyone. In particular, Chris gave Mr. Bon Nguyen an "Elephant God Ganesh" statue, a "mascot" that Chris treasures and always keeps with him. In return, Mr. Bon presented Chris with the memorial publication of the Australian-Vietnamese Soldier Memorial Park at Kevin Wheelahan Gardens, Sunshine, Victoria - "The Story of the Vietnam War Memorial and Commemorative Garden".

Deeply moved, Mr. Bon Nguyen (President of the Vietnamese Community in Australia Victoria Chapter and Federal) said to Chris - the most valuable gift that the Vietnamese community has received is Chris’s heart.