National concert Dieu Con Mai: honouring national values
The national concert Dieu Con Mai (Remaining with Time) will take place at 2pm at Hanoi Opera House on September 2 – the moment when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam 78 years ago (2/9/1945-2/9/2023).
Initiated in 2009 by the e-newspaper Vietnamnet, alongside the foremost purpose of celebrating Independence Day, the event is also to honour the diversity of Vietnamese music.
According to Vietnamnet Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Van Ba, this year’s concert will feature a special repertoire featuring “new and fresh changes that can arouse patriotism and national pride of every audience”.
Like the previous season, the concert will be opened with the national anthem Tien Quan Ca (Marching Song) by celebrated composer Van Cao. The song will be presented by the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) under the baton of the talented conductor Dong Quang Vinh.
Aiming to honour the great composer on his 100th birthday (15/11/1923 – 15/11/2023), the concert will include another of his famous songs Dan Chim Viet (Flock of Vietnamese Birds).
The song will have a new music arrangement and orchestration, and will be performed by semi-classical singer Pham Thu Ha, said the concert’s Music Director, composer Tran Manh Hung, who has selected, arranged and orchestrated all the tunes, creating the unity throughout the concert.
Hung also said that the concert will take symphony as the major material to honour national values.
A list of all-time-favourite songs such as Bong Cay Konia (Under the Shadow of Konia Tree) by Phan Huynh Dieu, Trang Sang Doi Mien (Moon Shines Two Regions) by An Chung, Ao Mua Dong (Winter Jacket) by Do Nhuan, Dat Nuoc Loi Ru (The Nation’s Lullaby) by Van Thanh Nho, Giai Dieu To Quoc (The National Melody) by Tran Tien, To Quoc Yeu Thuong (The Beloved Nation) by Ho Bac, and Len Ngan (Go up to the Jungle) by Hoang Viet, will be presented during the concert.
In addition, favourite tunes of young people – My Kool Vietnam by Thanh Bui, and Nhung Trai Tim Viet Nam (Vietnamese Hearts) by Phuong Uyen – also be included in the concert repertoire. The songs will be performed by the all-men music band Oplus.
The VNSO will also present the overture Mua Xuan The Ky (A Spring in A Century) by Hoang Cuong.
A line-up of famous artists of revolutionary music, including Dang Duong, Tung Duong, Do To Hoa, Pham Khanh Ngoc, and Dao Mac, will gather to be on the stage of the concert Dieu Con Mai. Performance by young saxophonist An Tran – daughter of veteran saxophonist Tran Manh Tuun – is expected to add more vivid colours to the concert.
The 39-year-old conductor Dong Quang Vinh will take over the position of conductor Le Phi Phi in all previous concert. Vinh said that within only two hours of the concert, it’s challenging to connect all the performance to create a completed story about Vietnamese culture and history as well as the love to the country, and the strength of national unity.
