VOV launches Sonata FM89, opening new space for classical music

Broadcast on 89 MHz FM, VOV Sonata FM89 is designed as a continuous musical stream, with carefully selected works arranged in time slots to suit listeners’ daily routines and listening preferences. Rather than interrupting the music with frequent commentary, the channel keeps spoken introductions to a minimum while providing essential information about the works and performers.

Its schedule features a range of programmes with distinct musical identities. Thanh am Mat troi (Sounds of the Sun), from 6am to 9am, presents uplifting and accessible works to start the day. Giai dieu huyen thoai (Legendary Melodies), from 9am to noon, introduces listeners to major works, including symphonies and concertos, alongside notable compositions by renowned composers. The noon-to-2pm slot focuses on shorter, lighter pieces suited to the midday break.

Other programmes include Concert Hall, introducing works associated with concert halls and theatres around the world, and Jazz Club, which presents Vietnamese and international jazz across different periods, styles and cultures.

The programming is intended to help listeners explore classical music progressively, moving from familiar and accessible pieces to longer works with more complex structures. The channel is aimed not only at established classical music enthusiasts but also at people who are new to symphonic and chamber music.

A continuous musical space with a distinctive identity

VOV’s leadership sees Sonata FM89 as more than a radio station that plays music around the clock. It is intended to provide a curated listening experience in which editorial selection and the arrangement of works shape the channel’s identity.

“On digital platforms, users often choose the music they want to hear. With VOV Sonata FM89, our editors curate, introduce and arrange a selection of music for the public. I believe this thoughtful selection and editing will give the channel its distinctive identity,” VOV Deputy Director General Pham Manh Hung said.

The channel has been developed with reference to the experience of international broadcasters specialising in classical music. VOV has consulted international experts on programme design and invited specialists to help train its reporters and editors. It has also prepared dedicated technical infrastructure, including studio facilities, transmission systems, backup equipment and shift-based operational staffing, to support continuous broadcasting.

The production workflow uses Dalet Galaxy software, while an expanded audio database management system is intended to help editors receive, store, search and retrieve recordings for programme production.

According to VOV3, the broadcaster’s Literature, Arts and Music Channel, its music library contains nearly 10,000 recordings and continues to expand. VOV has also invested in music licensing and related rights to support production and broadcasting while safeguarding the rights of composers, artists and performers.

Bringing classical music closer to the public

The launch has also been welcomed by the music community as an opportunity to give Vietnamese composers and their works greater exposure.

Musician Duc Trinh, chairman of the Vietnam Musicians’ Association, said the dedicated channel would help bring the artistic creations of composers to a wider audience, particularly in symphonic and chamber music.

“For Vietnamese music to integrate into the world, popular and classical music must develop in harmony. We need symphonic and chamber works of high artistic value,” he stressed.

He noted that, although the association has organised composition competitions in symphonic and chamber music for many years, opportunities to stage and present such works to the public have remained limited. A dedicated broadcasting platform could provide composers with a new space to share their work and encourage further creative activity.

For VOV, expanding access to classical music is a long-term cultural undertaking rather than an immediate change in listening habits. The channel’s approach combines continuous broadcasting with restrained introductions, helping audiences become familiar with works and gradually develop an appreciation of different musical styles.

VOV also plans to expand Sonata FM89 across its digital platforms, subject to the completion of relevant copyright and other requirements. In the longer term, the broadcaster hopes to work with domestic arts organisations and international partners to bring major concerts to listeners and develop music events and exchanges.

As the channel enters its trial phase, VOV intends to gather audience feedback and refine its programming, technical systems and delivery. Its broader ambition is to establish a distinctive musical space that enriches the public’s cultural life, promotes Vietnamese composers and performers, and makes the musical heritage of Vietnam and the world more accessible.

VOV Sonata FM 89 brings classical music closer to everyday life

VOV.VN - The Voice of Vietnam (VOV) is launching a new dedicated music channel, VOV Sonata FM 89, offering 24-hour programming featuring classical, chamber and jazz music, with the aim of making high-quality music more accessible to a wider audience.