Flautist Lê Thư Hương. Photo cand.com.vn

Flautist Lê Thư Hương has returned to Việt Nam after spending six years studying at the University of North Texas with a full scholarship by the Vietnamese government for her doctorate.

She released her first album entitled Le Parys Fantasies in the US in July with famed pianist Marcin Parys. It is now available on music apps including Spotify, iTunes and Amazon Music.

Online Công An Nhân Dân (Public Security) reporter Việt Hà spoke with Hương about her career. 

How do you feel on returning home during the COVID-19 pandemic?

I am very moved and happy to return to Việt Nam. Looking back on my journey over the years in the US, I feel like playing the next chapters in the symphony of my life. Each note has its own meaning with high and low notes.

On a positive note, this journey has also been my happiest and most fulfilling time with priceless experiences.

First of all, I see the pandemic as bringing a lot of suffering, difficulties and loss to people all over the world. However, it is also an opportunity for people to recognise and appreciate the true values in life.

In addition, this is also an opportunity for everyone to get closer together with a more positive and optimistic attitude to overcome the pandemic together.

Last year my family also experienced social distancing for months in the US. The most precious thing is that the whole family is really together to feel life in a different mindset and rhythm.

I believe that Việt Nam or other heavily affected countries in the world will soon overcome the pandemic so that everyone can return to normal life.

You released your album on digital platforms with romantic French melodies. Why did you choose French music?

I spent a lot of time researching this type of music because I have a passion for French romantic music.

My doctoral thesis is about French authors and music. I made the work more convincing and realistic to release my album Le Parys Fantasies.

I collaborated with talented pianist Marcin Parys who is the holder of numerous international awards. He is also a seasoned artist with a refined soul and an emotional playing style.

To find an artist with the same playing style and musical taste that suits me is a very special thing. I am very satisfied with this effort. I hope people will receive and love the album on digital music platforms as well as vinyl and CD versions that have been released in the US and Việt Nam.

Could you tell us more about the album?

I have had the idea for the album for a long time. But only after I completed my doctoral thesis in the US did I have time to make it.

I have collaborated on recordings in the US with a series of projects to record works by multi-Grammy Award-winning musician Michael Daugherty with the North Texas Symphony Orchestra or in Việt Nam with the Trịnh Công Sơn music project.

But now I have made a classical CD with flute. That's why the album means a lot to me. It is my first CD and I’m so proud of it. It is the first flute CD by a Vietnamese artist and it is produced and released in the US.

What did you expect when you released this album during the pandemic?

The whole world is currently being put to a tough test. In this situation, any positive signal or action brings certain spiritual values.

During this massively chaotic and unsettling time, I hope that the album will contribute joyful notes like warm rays of light in the soul and bring relaxing moments and positive energy for everyone.

Plus, we are living in the 4.0 era and catching up with the world is an important requirement for integration and development.

Publishing albums on online music platforms with international standards is a goal not only for me but also for other artists because of its global connection.

I very much look forward to more and more Vietnamese classical artists launching and sharing internationalised music projects so that the Vietnamese music-loving community can enjoy more quality and interesting music productions.

You are not only a performer and a lecturer but you have music projects for the community. Could you tell us about this work?

In my career, in different ways, I always focus on the element of dedication.

The responsibility of an artist is not within the individual but also broader to the whole community.

I always ask myself how the projects and programmes that I have taken part in are meaningful and how they convey positive messages to the community.

In the field of education, as a lecturer, I want to help the next generation of students have a forward-thinking and more specific attitude on their learning path. More importantly, they should have a desire for learning and meeting global standards.  VNS