Mozart et incarnatus est

HANOI

PERFORMANCE

A Tribute to Trinh Cong Son

Come to the music night Van Nho Cuoc Doi (Still Remembering Life) with performers who love Trinh’s music. In particular, violinist Nguyen Xuan Huy has chosen this simple music night to bring to the public melodies from a porcelain violin that he created himself.

Tickets: VND200,000 – VND25,000 – VND300,000

Subscription Concert Vol. 120

8 pm, May 16

Hanoi Opera House

1 Trang Tien street, Hoan Kiem district

You are invited to Subscription Concert Vol.120 with the participation of conductor Tran Dinh Lam, oboe soloist Nguyen Hoang Tung, and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra.

Programme:

W. A. Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro Overture (K.492)

R. Strauss: Oboe Concerto AV 144, TV 292

Interval

A. Dvorak: Symphony No. 7 D minor, Op. 70

EXHIBITION

Multi-Sensory Exhibition “ASAÉS – The Universe of Flavours”

L’Espace

24 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem district

ASAÉS features an exhibition of original graphic compositions and an olfactory journey that highlight, in perfumes and flavours, the natural heritages of different countries.

It is a project that embodies the five flavours of the gastronomic world: Bitter, Sweet, Acid, Spicy and Salty. The first letters of these five tastes form the name ASAÉS.

Exhibition “The Bridge” by Dang Viet

VICAS Art Studio

32 Hao Nam Street, Dong Da District

The exhibition “The Bridge” showcasing 39 artworks by artist Dang Viet, highlighting Long Bien Bridge, a masterpiece of a French architecture which has existed for hundreds of years in Hanoi.

HO CHI MINH CITY

PERFORMANCE

Concert “Music From The Big Screen”

7.30 pm, May 18

ISHCMC Theatre

1 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien Ward, District 2

The International Choir and Orchestra of HCMC are pleased to invite you for its summer concert: Music from the Big Screen, during which you will be entertained with choral music from your favourite movies, such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Amadeus, 28 Days Later (Faure’s Requiem)?

Tickets: VND150,000 – VND 20,000 for students and children

Teh Dar: Vietnamese Tribal Culture

6:00 pm, May 13, 14, 16, 18 and 19

Ho Chi Minh City Opera House

7 Cong Truong Lam Son, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1

‘Teh Dar: Vietnamese Tribal Culture’ features a vibrant display of circus arts, aerial acrobatics, and tribal music within an hour-long performance.

The show highlights the lives of tribal families from the southwest highlands of Vietnam, using UNESCO-listed percussion instruments, such as Vietnamese gongs and buffalo horns, as well as vibrant costumes, and a stunning bamboo cirque depicting various landscapes and creatures from tribal folklores.

Price range: VND630,000 – VND1,470,000

EXHIBITION

Exhibition “My Marriage” by Vo Thuy Tien

The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre

15 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien, District 2

‘My marriage’ is an ongoing project by Võ Thuỷ Tiên, which delves into the different layers of the artist’s personal life, and explores ideas of marriage and motherhood, domesticity and the family, and the complexity of love and relationships.

Tickets: VND 50,000 – VND 40,000 for students

Exhibition “Serpents’ Tails” by UuDam Tran Nguyen

Galerie Quynh

118 Nguyen Van Thu, Dakao, District 1

This is a solo exhibition by UuDam Tran Nguyen on the industrial activities that wreak environmental imbalance and destruction.

A team of students from a university in southern Vietnam have qualified for the Shell Eco-marathon Drivers’ World Championship (DWC) Grand Final, a fuel-efficient car race to be held in Europe this July.

The team, LH-EST, consists of five students from Lac Hong University in Bien Hoa, the capital city of the southern Vietnamese province of Dong Nai.

They are one of three teams from Asia to earn a spot in the competition.

Shell Eco-marathon DWC is a unique global program that challenges science, technology, engineering, and math students to design and build ultra-energy-efficient cars to compete in a race using just the equivalent of 1 kWh of energy or one liter of fuel.

The qualifiers for the London race were chosen from the top three teams who had competed in regional DWC races in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

LH-EST earned their spot in the London race for finishing third at the Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2019 in Malaysia on May 2.

Sharing about their achievement with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, LH-EST supervisor Le Hoang Anh said the team nearly burst into tears after crossing the finish line in the Malaysia competition.

This is the first time LH-EST has gone this far at a regional DWC contest.

They have lost the three previous events organized in the Philippines and Singapore.

In preparation for the London race, “LH-EST will fix errors pointed out by the Shell Eco-marathon organizers, as well as minimize their vehicle’s weight for better performance against opponents from Europe and the Americas,” Anh told Tuoi Tre .

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Abundant goods for Tet

From Paris, the ancient city of Blois is 200 km away along the A10 autoroute. It is the capital of Loir-et-Cher Department, in the Centre-Val de Loire region of central France, where many famous castles are situated on the gentle Loire River. At the Asian Supermarket owned by Vietnamese Mr. Nguyen Khanh Duong, there were three couples from a family, including Mr. Ba and Ms. Nguyet, Mr. Tuan and Ms. Phuong, and Mr. Thi and Ms. Thuy. They were engrossed with their children in choosing and buying essential goods and food for their family to celebrate their reunion during Tet after a busy year.

Although the goods here are not as abundant as at Asian supermarkets in Paris, the Asian Supermarkets in Blois these days sell a lot of foods for Tet from Vietnam, such as Tet jam, sticky rice, green bean, rice paper, dried noodles, Hanoi beer, Phu Quoc fish sauce, water spinach, Malabar spinach, herbs, basil and especially dong leaves for wrapping chung (square sticky rice) cake – the traditional cake of Vietnam during Tet.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan said: “To prepare for the traditional Tet Festival, our brothers and sisters came here to buy Tet goods just like our parents took us to go shopping for Tet when we were young. Today, we come here and trade exactly as we did in the past. It is meaningful for us as it helps us remember the homeland, while our children and grandchildren won’t forget their traditional cultural traditions, their roots and their homeland. In order to buy dong leaves, we had to book in advance with the store, then we buy green beans, glutinous rice, pepper and rice paper to prepare for Tet.”

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan. (Photo: NDO/Dinh Tuan)

Mr. Nguyen Khanh Duong, owner of the Asian Supermarket, said: “In Blois, it is not as crowded with Vietnamese people as in other cities, just over 20 households. To prepare for Tet, we have imported many Tet goods from Vietnam. As you can see, there are enough goods here to serve Vietnamese not only in this city, but also in other cities. French customers also love Asian foods, especially things from Vietnam such as packaged spring rolls and dried noodles.”

Preserving the nation’s tradition during Tet

Mr. Ba’s house would surprise many with its 700 square metre garden, at the house itself having been built by the couple after many years of hard working. The home and garden were designed by Ba himself and built in a Vietnamese style. In his garden, there are many kinds of flowers, fruits and some ornamental olive trees that are nearly 100 years old.

In the house, everyone had their own work, peeling off chung cakes, processing vegetables, preparing a tray of five fruits for Tet, and cooking. In a short time, a sumptuous feast was laid out on the table with all sorts of Tet dishes, including chung cake, spring rolls, fried shrimp, meatloaf and sticky rice.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ba, who was born in Vietnam’s Nam Dinh Province, said that he was the third child in a family of eight siblings, but when he came to France, he was considered the “eldest” because he was responsible for bringing his brothers to France, taking care of them and helping them find jobs. Up to now, the families of his two younger siblings are well-off. In particular, Mr. Ba and his wife have two sons who are both intelligent and well-educated, with the oldest child currently working in the atomic industry in France and the youngest studying to become a doctor.

Overseas Vietnamese prepare for traditional Lunar New Year 2020 celebrations in Blois. (Photo: NDO/Dinh Tuan)

Mr. Ba said that he has been living in France for 30 years. In the first days after arriving in France, his family encountered many difficulties and had to do many jobs to earn their living and raise his children. Thanks to their efforts, after many years, his family now owns a quite famous Vietnamese restaurant at the foot of Blois Castle, featuring typical Vietnamese dishes. Thanks to Vietnamese foods that many French know, such as pho , spring rolls and beef noodle, his restaurant is always full of customers. Ba said: “I am a “boss” here but my staff include all my brothers and sisters. We always unite to run our own business and enjoy interests together.”

Not only does he introduce the Vietnamese culinary culture to French friends, customers coming to his restaurant also learn about Vietnam so that they could travel. Each time, Mr. Ba enthusiastically guides and introduces the famous tourist destinations of Vietnam to his customers.

By the fire, Mr. Ba said: “Whenever Tet comes, even though our business is busy, our three families still try to arrange our work and spend our day off to gather together to celebrate the year-end and prepare a meal to worship the ancestors during Tet. The traditional Tet holiday is a chance for us to gather, celebrate and wish each other good things, while reminding us about the homeland, and especially giving us a chance to preserve the national cultural identity so that our children can continue to hold and promote it.”

Because the time difference between France and Vietnam is six hours, when Vietnam welcomes the Lunar New Year’s Eve, it is only 6 pm in France. Every year at the sacred time to welcome the Lunar New Year’s Eve in Vietnam, Ba and his brothers spend time to call home to convey their Tet wishes to their parents and relative in the hometown. Tet is an opportunity for Vietnamese expatriates living far from home to learn about the cultural traditions of Vietnamese people, so that they can understand the meaning of Vietnamese culture.

Celebrating a happy Lunar New Year together. (Photo: NDO/Dinh Tuan)

“On the first day of the Lunar New Year, we still keep the same routine as in Vietnam: my brothers and their children come to my house to offer their Tet wishes to us and we gather around the table to enjoy Tet meals. Lucky money in red envelopes are granted to the children following the national tradition,” said Ba.

Gathering to enjoy Tet meals together, like everyone at home, the overseas Vietnamese in France chat happily, wish each other a warm Tet and review what they had do in the past year to encourage each other in the Lunar New Year. On the occasion of Tet, Mr. Ba sends New Year greetings to his parents, siblings and relatives back home, wishing them a healthy and happy new year.

LEADING LIGHT: Vo Minh Quang is an inspiration for other youngsters who love music and studies. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Duc

, 15, who attends the Giang Vo Secondary School as well as the National Academy of Music, is an inspiration for young people when it comes to studying and loving music.

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union recently presented him with the Outstanding Young Vietnamese Award 2020 in recognition of his miraculous achievements in both school and in piano contests domestically and internationally.

MUSIC MAESTRO: Quang tickling the ivories at home. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Duc

With passion and hard work, and major support from his family, Quang has won nearly 40 awards, including more than 20 first and special prizes. Some are said to be for pianists far beyond his years.

He was also the first student and the youngest in Vietnam to be granted Diploma Licentiate from Trinity College London, in 2019, and LMuSa — Licentiate of Australian Music Examinations Board, in 2019.

In addition to his love for the piano, Quang also has a deep interest in his studies, posting high marks in all subjects.

ADMIRED: Quang and his classmates at school in Hanoi. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Duc

He is among a select group of students in specialist maths classes and a stand-out in English, winning many prizes in both subjects and others, including English Olympiads at the district level and second prizes in maths in 2019 and chemistry in 2020.

“Quang really is a conscientious student,” says the Deputy Principal of Giang Vo Secondary School, Vi Manh Tuong. “He is also sociable and close to his friends at school.”

Nguyen Thieu Ngan, head teacher in Quang’s 9A3 class, says she understands how hard Quang must study attending both secondary school and the music academy.

“Though studying at two schools at the same time is quite difficult, Quang works hard to complete all of his course work,” she says.

“The school creates the conditions for him and the other students to follow their studies. We stay close to them, not only regarding their studies but also in other issues, including health.”

Tran Minh Khoa, one of his classmates, says that although Quang must arrange his studies between the two schools, he still spends time with friends and is admired by all.

“We are proud of him and his achievements,” Khoa says. “He is a great example to follow and he gives everyone the motivation to work harder.”

Quang’s mother, Tran Thi Thanh Ha, says he plays sports such as wushu, swimming, chess, basketball, and table tennis during the summer holidays.

“He spends more time on some sports than others, but he gives his all to no matter what he is doing,” she says.

Quang could read books when he was four, much to the surprise of his family.

“On family outings we found he could read most of the signs and advertisements we passed,” she says.

When he was five, the family sent him to a piano centre, and from his very first days he was able to memorise all the notes.

A week later, he could complete most of the lessons in the textbook.

“All of this is due to inherent talent,” his mother believes.

2015 marked a milestone in his piano playing, when he won the first and special prizes at the Vietnam Piano Festival and was admitted straight into the National Academy of Music.

His mother adds that when he went to study piano, his family was a little concerned that he might struggle and be distracted from other studies. But after recognising his talent and passion for music, they tried to create the conditions for him to pursue his dreams.

“When I love a certain subject and spend time on it, I just don’t feel there are any difficulties,” Quang says.

His achievements include first prize at the 1st China-ASEAN Teenagers Piano Competition in China in 2015, the Chopin International Piano Competition in Thailand in 2017, and the Mozart International Piano Competition in 2018.

The Mozart International Piano Competition, which took place in Bangkok in July 2018, attracted 34 participants from Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, and Australia, who competed in four age groups in front of a judging panel of internationally acclaimed professors and artists.

Quang faced nine other contestants aged from 13 to 17.

In the final round, he delivered a flawless performance of Mozart’s Piano Sonata No 10 in C major, K 330, and Chopin’s Scherzo No 3, Op 39.

Not only known as the “golden boy” of piano and with outstanding academic achievements overall, Quang has also been involved in meaningful community activities, winning the admiration of teachers and friends.

He has played at many fundraising concerts, including one in Hanoi last year that donated 5,000 sets of protective clothing and 4,000 medical masks to 11 hospitals.

He was also among 10 recipients of the Potential Young Face Award 2019 from the Ho Chi Minh Youth Union.

VNS

Saigon Classical Music Group will present the “Voices of Instruments” concert at the HCM City Union of Arts and Literature Associations on April 17. Photo from the organiser’s Facebook page

Saigon Classical Music Group will present the “Voices of Instruments” concert at the HCM City Union of Arts and Literature Associations on April 17.

The show will feature works for clarinet, viola and piano by Rachmaninoff, Bach, Mozart and Max Bruch.

The performances will highlight pianist Nguyễn Đức Anh, clarinetist Hoàng Ngọc Anh Quân, and violist Phạm Vũ Thiên Bảo.

The concert will take place from 8-9 pm. The venue is at 81 Trần Quốc Thảo Street in District 3. Registration is available at www.ticketbox.vn. – VNS