Celebrate with Austrian song

Sing when you're winning: Acies Quartet from Austria will join Song Hong Quintet for friendship concerts in Ha Noi and HCM City. — Photo courtesy Austrian Embassy

HA NOI (VNS)— The Acies Quartet from Austria and the Song Hong Quintet from Viet Nam will perform in Ha Noi tomorrow night and HCM City on Sunday to celebrate Austria's National Day and the 40th anniversary of the two countries' relations.

Acies will perform Joseph Haydn's String Quartet Op 74 The Rider and Friedrich Gulda's String Quartet in F sharp minor. Song Hong will perform The Rains by contemporary Vietnamese composer Vu Nhat Tan.

Together, the two groups will perform Felix Mendelssohn's Octet Op 20 in Es Minor.

Formed in 2000, Acies are one of the youngest but most talented groups in Austria.

On behalf of the Austrian musicians, violinist Benjamin Ziervogel said they were eager for the concerts because this was their first time in Viet Nam.

"When we arrived, we enjoyed a concert at the Ha Noi Opera House and realised audience's attention and the artists' passion," he said. "We also know that chamber music in Viet Nam has faced many obstacles."

"People in Austria love chamber music," he said. "Our audiences are aged from 6-99, but the number of youngsters is certainly less than our older followers. We have tried to lure more young people by performing on the streets as well as teaching them about music."

The Song Hong Quintet was formed three years ago by a group of musicians trained in Viet Nam and overseas, each with an active career of solo and chamber music recitals and orchestral concerts. In early 2010, they performed their first Spring Concert together to public acclaim. With this motivation they have continued to perform all over major cities in Viet Nam.

Free tickets are available at the Austrian Embassy, 53 Quang Trung Street, Ha Noi, and at the Austrian Honorary Consulate in HCM City, 27A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, District 1. — VNS