Symphony ready for Opera House date

In charge: Composer Do Hong Quan at a performance. His latest symphony Ascending Dragon will be performed this weekend. — VNS File Photo

HA NOI — The Viet Nam National Symphony and Orchestra (VNSO) will perform a Lunar New Year's Concert this Friday and Saturday night at the Ha Noi Opera House.

The programme for the night features music by contemporary Vietnamese composer Do Hong Quan and old European masters such as Johann Strauss and Franz Lehar.

Quan's latest symphony, Dang Rong Len (Ascending Dragon), promises to be a concert highlight as the symphony was composed at the request of the VNSO and premiered last year on the occasion of Ha Noi's 1,000th birthday.

The symphony aims to evoke images of modern and ancient Ha Noi, musically celebrating the city's vibrant culture and romantic character, according to the composer.

Quan was born in 1956 into a family with a long musical tradition. His father, composer Do Nhuan, was a well-known composer and former general secretary of the Viet Nam Musicians' Association.

Quan began piano studies at the age of six at the Viet Nam National Academic of Music (VNAM). In 1976 he was sent to study composition and conducting at the Moscow State Conservatory in Russia, where he graduated with honours in 1981. In 1991 and 1992 he studied composition and conducting at the Paris National Conservatory.

Beginning his professional career in Ha Noi in 1986, Quan has served as vice director of the Ha Noi Youth Theatre, conductor of the Ha Noi Conservatory Symphony Orchestras, and is currently the dean of the Composition Faculty at VNAM.

His most well known works are Variations for piano, Four Pictures for oboe (or flute), piano and percussion, Rhapsodie Viet Nam for symphonic orchestra and the ballet The Mists, which won the State Musical Prize.

He has also conducted the symphony orchestras of the Moscow State Film Studio, the Tashkent State Opera House (Uzbekistan) and the VNSO.

The concert at the Opera House will also feature performances of Johann Strauss' operetta from Gypsy Baron, Eljen a Magyar; Tritch Tratch Polka and Emperor Waltz, along with the waltz Gold and Silver by Franz Lehar.

The concert begins at 8pm on Friday and Saturday. — VNS

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Culture Vulture

The Ha Noi-based composer Tran Manh Hung has been presented with annual awards from the Viet Nam Musicians Association for the past two years. The 38-year-old won prestigious prizes for his poetic symphony Hao Khi Thang Long (Thang Long's Spirit) and the romantic piece The Gioi Khong Chien Tranh (A World Without War), which were honoured in the best symphony and romance categories, respectively. He talks with Culture Vulture about his works.

How did you feel when you won the award?

No words can describe my feelings when it was announced. I was extremely happy because if any composer wins an award it brings them happiness, and then I received a award the following year.

Besides those awards, the Viet Nam Musicians Association also presented you with other awards?

Yes, that is right. I started receiving awards from the Viet Nam Musicians Association in 2007 for the four-movement symphony Mot Nua Coi Tram (Half a Life), and the choral song Gio Long Bon Phuong (Rising Wind on All Sides). In 2008, I bagged the first prize for the composition, String Quartet No 2.

My poetic symphony Le Chi Vien (Le Chi Garden), and the romantic piece Giac Mo Mua La (Dream of Falling Leaves) won the best symphony and romance categories in 2009.

Last year, I sent three pieces to be considered for the awards. Besides two first prizes for the symphony Thang Long's Spirit and the romantic piece A World Without War, a second place prize was given to my composition Dat Me (Motherland).

The symphony Thang Long's Spirit was presented at a gala concert to celebrate the capital's millennium anniversary, while A World Without War was performed at the Buddha's birthday celebration last year.

Do you have any secrets? Why do you win so many prizes?

I would be a turkey-cock if I said my talent was responsible for the prizes.

I truly believe that all the cultural and historical values produced by humanity in general, and of Viet Nam in particular, have moulded the true, good and beautiful arts.

It can be said that all my teachers helped contribute to my success. They not only taught me but were role models. I always will have deep gratitude for them.

The awards provide encouragement for composers, which helps us continuously contribute to the country's glorious musical traditions.

Some other musicians compose quite a lot of work, but are unable to present their compositions to the public. How about you?

Like assiduous bees, my colleagues and I work endlessly. However, we don't publish every piece that we write.

To vie for a Musicians Association award, composers have to submit their recorded pieces. It is not difficult or costly to record the songs, unless you are working with large symphonies or operas. That's why some talented composers, who write substantial compositions but do not have the chance to record their work, were not able to popularise their musical pieces.

Do you have any plans to release a CD containing your award-winning music?

I have a plan to release such a CD, but I don't want to talk about until it is completed. However, I'm sure that a CD with a collection of my choral songs will be aired this year.

For many Vietnamese popular singers, you are their favourite musical mixing master. You were invited to join their music projects. However, you seem prefer a to keep "hidden" life, is that true?

In order to nurture our big musical dreams and make ends meet, several other composers and I have are looking into marketing our skills. By working with such musical projects, we, the people who specialise in chamber and symphony music, have a chance to understand more and practise performing popular music. — VNS

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Japan and Vietnam symphony orchestras Hanoi

Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra (TMSO) and Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra will hold a concert under the baton of Japanese conductor Honna Tetsuji at the Hanoi Opera House on November 7, reports VietnamPlus.

The performance will feature famous pieces of both countries, including Toyama Yuzo’s Rhapsody for Orchestra and Rhapsody Vietnam by Do Hong Quan, Chairman of the Vietnam Musicians’ Association. The second part of the show will have a performance of P. I. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor op. 64.

The leading Japanese orchestra then will give two shows in Hanoi on November 9 and HCMC on November12.

Japanese violinist, Tamaki Kawakubo, will join TMSO for these performances. She will play the Violin Concerto in D major op. 77 and the Symphony No. 1 in C minor op. 68 of J. Brahms. Kawakubo began violin studies at the age of five in Los Angeles , California , the U.S. She won the grand prize at the 2001 Pablo de Sarasate International Violin Competition and shared the silver medal, the highest award at the 2002 International Tchaikovsky Competition.

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