Vietnamese teen takes prize in Singapore piano contest

Key player: Pianist Hoang Pham Tra Mi won the under-15 category at the Singapore International Chopin Piano tournament which ended on Sunday. — File Photo

HA NOI — Viet Nam's Hoang Pham Tra Mi won the first prize for the under-15-year-old category at the Singapore International Chopin Piano tournament, which ended on Sunday.

The competition, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, was organised for the first time by the Chopin Society (Singapore) and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

The competition attracted 140 candidates from 15 countries and territories, including China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Viet Nam and host Singapore.

Mi, a 13-year-old student at the Viet Nam National Academy for Music, beat 30 other competitors to win the prize for her performance of Ballades No 1 and Etudes No 5.

Previously she won prizes in South Korea and Russia.

"Mi has shown great aptitude for the piano since her childhood," said Ta Quang Dong, a lecturer at the National Academy of Music, who accompanied the Vietnamese competitors.

"After two years teaching her, I think she has made great strides."

The Vietnamese team of eight pianists aged between 10 and 16 entered four out of five categories.

"Mi's victory is a big honour for the Vietnamese team because the international piano competition was judged by leading performers," Dong said.

"Taking part in international events is great experience. The students can learn from competitors from around the world." — VNS

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Vietnamese pianists to compete at Chopin tourney in Singapore

HA NOI — Eight young Vietnamese pianists will be competing against 140 others at the First International Chopin Piano tournament from tomorrow to Sunday in Singapore.

The competition, which commemorates the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, is being organised by the Chopin Society (Singapore) and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

The Vietnamese pianists, who are aged between 10 to 16, will be competing in four of five categories.

Do Hoang Linh Chi, 13, and Hoang Ho Thu, 15, have a lot of experience of international competition, said Ta Quang Dong, a lecturer at the Viet Nam National Academy of Music, who will be accompanying the competitors.

"The contestants can decide for themselves which Chopin pieces they wish to play. The Ha Noi International Piano Contest that was held last September helped the contestants enrich their Chopin repertoire," Dong said.

"The competition is being organised for the first time. It is prestigious though because of the calibre judges."

The judging panel consists of Gabriel Kwok, who has been head of Keyboard Studies at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts since 1989; Francesco Nicolosi, who is one of the most distinguished pianists of the Italian tradition; Snezana Panovska, a highly acclaimed piano professor, who stems from the Republic of Macedonia; Wojciech Switata, a professor at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice; and Warren Thompson, head of the School of Extension Studies at Sydney Conservatorium. — VNS

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Hanoi concerts to mark Chopin’s 200th birthday

Two concerts to mark Chopin’s 200th birthday will take place at the Hanoi Opera House in September

The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra will celebrate Chopin’s 200th birth anniversary with two concerts by world-renowned Japanese conductor Tetsuji Honna and talented young Vietnamese pianist Luu Hong Quang on September 7-8.

At the events to be held at the Hanoi Opera House, Quang, 20, will perform “Concerto No.1 E minor” by Frederic Chopin and “Symphony No.6 ‘Pathetique’” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

He has won several international awards. In January 2006 he won a special prize at the Frederick Chopin International Piano Competition in Japan and in June the same year, the third prize at the Val Tidone International Music Competitions in 16–17 age group category.

In 2008 a judge gave him 90 points at the annual Val Tidone International Music Competitions in Piacenza, Italy, fetching Quang a special prize. Another prize designated for contestants scoring 95 or more went unclaimed.

In 2009 he won the Recital Award Piano in Sydney, Australia.

Tetsuji Honna, also a multiple award winner, has been musical adviser and conductor of the VNSO since 2001.

Chopin, the 19th century Polish-born composer, is considered one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time, with his heroic, tragic piano compositions credited with capturing the essence of Poland's soul. His birthday falls on 1 March 1810.

Tickets to the shows cost VND150,000 (US$7.73) to VND300,000.

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