French pianist Maxime Zecchini will perform songs by legendary singer Edith Piaf which he has arranged for piano at a concert tour in five cities in Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of French Institute of Hà Nội.

HÀ NỘI — French pianist Maxime Zecchini and Vietnamese violinist Chương Vũ will tour cities in Việt Nam from September 14.

The musicians will play pieces by French composers Camille Saint-Saëns, Claude Debussy, Ernest Chausson, Pablo de Sarasate and Maurice Ravel as well as Vietnamese musician Vũ Việt Anh.

"I feel very happy and I'm really looking forward to this tour," said Zecchini.

"Indeed, I planned to come in 2020 but COVID made that impossible. I look forward to discovering Vietnamese culture, music, food among other things. It is a very rich and exciting culture.

"This will be my first visit to Việt Nam and I also hope to have some time between concerts to discover the natural and architectural wonders of this superb country."

Paris-born Zecchini has played in the Carnegie Hall of New York in May 2022. He is the first French pianist to receive a degree from the prestigious Incontri col Maestro Academy in Imola (Italy).

He is winner of several national and international competitions including first prize at Forum de Normandie Competition; the Cziffra Foundation Prize and first prize at Varenna-Lake Como International Competition.

The first part will see solo performance by the pianist. He will premiere French legendary Edith Piaf's trio L'hymme à l'amour; Je ne regrette rien and La vie en rose which he has arranged for piano.

After intermission, the duo will perform Anh's Spring Prayer, Fantasy for Violin and PianoChu.

Anh is popular for his famous songs with beautiful lyrics. He has composed many orchestral works.

At the end of the concert, the artists will entertain the audience the dramatic and poignant melodies of Fantaisie sur Carmen, op. 25 (Carmen Fantasy) by Pablo de Sarasate written for violin and piano inspired by Bizet's classic operaCarmen, displaying their virtuosic playing and delicate emotions.

Praised for his “exquisite playing” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Yehudi Wyner, violinist Chương Vũ has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra member throughout North and South Americas, Europe and Asia with repertoire ranging from early baroque to modern music.

He received a PhD in musical arts from the University of North Texas, where he held a doctoral fellowship and a teaching fellowship.

The artists will perform at Erato and IDECAF in HCM City on September 14 and 15. After that, concerts will be held at Creative Studio in Đà Lạt City, Central Highlands Province of Lâm Đồng, and Novotel Hotel in Đã Nẵng on September 16 and 17.

The Huế Conservatory in the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế and the Alexandre Yersin School in Hà Nội will be the last destinations of the concert tour on September 20 and 22.

The concert is among the activities held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of France and Việt Nam diplomatic relations. — VNS