The cover of Phượng Linh (Sacred Phoenix).

HÀ NỘI Famed violinist Trịnh Minh Hiền has released her first album, Phượng Linh (Sacred Phoenix), which marks her 20-year journey of pursuing and professionally performing arts.

Sacred Phoenix includes 12 compositions, most of which are works by famous Vietnamese songwriters and arranged for the violin by Hiền herself, like Tiến Quân Ca (The National Anthem of Việt Nam) by Văn Cao, Tiếng Trống Paranưng (The Paranung Drum Sound) by Trần Tiến and Trên Đỉnh Phù Vân (On the Top of Flowing Clouds) by Phó Đức Phương.

The violinist performs each work with different styles, such as Latin combined with epic electronic, world music mixed with electronic, chamber, jazz and pop, flamenco, or solo violin.

“I want to honour songwriters through their works,” Hiền said.

“On my 20-year professional music journey, they have influenced my creativity, giving me the courage to find my own style. Top art is not for the majority, but it does not prevent me from having original discoveries and overcoming challenges. I learned from them that spirit.

“Sacred Phoenix is a spring gift for the audience and music fans - my great motivation to travel to the magical land with those with the most love and trust.

“Because love is the eternal strength in the forever flying sound.”

Trịnh Minh Hiền performs at the launch of her debut album, Sacred Phoenix. Photo courtesy of Trịnh Minh Hiền

The album has been cherished by the 43-year-old artist for a long time, marking her professional and passionate musical journey with the spirit of honouring Vietnamese national music.

To Hiền, Sacred Phoenix also resulted from her valuable life experiences and realisation of true life values. Many world-famous composers have participated in its arrangement, mixing, recording and mastering, like composer Trần Mạnh Hùng, Dutch composer Ad van Dongen and French composer Vincent Villatreau.

It features two compositions written by the violinist herself – Phượng Linh (Sacred Phoenix), and Cây Đời (Tree of Life) - the song that concluded the album as a gift for its special featured guest, Vietnamese diva Thanh Lam.

Vietnamese musical experts have highly appreciated Hiền’s debut album and dedication to music.

"It takes years to have a talented and professional artist mastering Western musical instruments like Trịnh Minh Hiền," said musician Đỗ Hồng Quân, Chairman of Vietnam Union of Literary and Art Associations. "Before the 20-year mark, the artist must be introduced to the violin from a very young age to nurture her talent, passion and professionalism.

“Hiền is truly a brilliant star of Vietnamese violin."

Sacred Phoenix is released to audiences in more than 200 countries and territories on digital platforms.

Trịnh Minh Hiền was born in 1980 in Hà Nội and graduated valedictorian in violin from the Vietnam National Academy of Music in 2003. She has been composing poems and songs since the age of 20.

The violinist was a part of the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra from 2003 to 2017 and a deputy vocalist of the Sun Symphony Orchestra from 2018 to 2022.

She has been invited to perform at many art programmes nationwide and impressed the audience and specialists with diverse violin solo versions.

She was the first and only Vietnamese violinist to perform solo at Italian food weeks, organised by the Italian embassy in Việt Nam in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and the series of activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relation between Việt Nam and Italy.

Hiền performs in the musical video Đất Nước Trọn Niềm Vui (Nation Full of Joy), released on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975). Photo courtesy of the artist

On the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975), Hiền has released a musical video Đất Nước Trọn Niềm Vui (Nation Full of Joy), adapted from the song of the same name of musician Hoàng Hà. It was directed by Italian director Gianmarco Maccabruno Giometti and based on the script written by poet Vi Thùy Linh.

According to Hiền, she wanted to dedicate patriotic music to the country on this sacred day, which is expected to spread her pride in the country to audiences not only in Việt Nam but also around the world. VNS