HÀ NỘI — The Hồ Gươm Opera House in Hà Nội will set the stage for an extraordinary event as two of the world's most promising young pianists, Eric Lu and Nguyễn Việt Trung, come together for a duet of concerts.

Organised by the Opera House and the Sun Symphony Orchestra (SSO), the duo of world-class concerts on December 8 and 9 promises classical music lovers an unforgettable musical experience, as these performances will deliver captivating and superb artistry.

Nguyễn Việt Trung’s career includes performances with prestigious orchestras at several famous concert halls in the US, Germany, France, Russia, and Japan. — Photo courtesy of the artist

In the concert Chopin – Magical Piano on December 8, under the baton of French conductor Olivier Ochanine and along with the SSO, the two young artists will present Piano Concertos 1 & 2 by Frédéric Chopin, one of the 19th century's most important composers.

The following day, during the concert Echoes of Genius – An Evening with Beethoven, Mozart & Brahms, the two talents will unite to perform Mozart's Concerto No. 10 for Two Pianos. This collaboration promises to be a highlight of the evening, showcasing the musicians' extraordinary skill and synergy.

The pianists will also perform the Overture to Fidelio, Op. 72 by Beethoven and Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 by Brahms.

Born in 1996 in Hà Nội, Nguyễn Việt Trung showed exceptional musical talent early on. At age seven, he began studying piano in Warsaw, Poland. By nine, he won the first prize at the Emmy Alberg Competition in Lodz.

His achievements in Poland include awards like second prize at the Young Pianists Competition and first prize at the Chopin Performance Competition. He also received the “Golden Note” award for a Mozart piece in Sochaczew in 2006 and accolades at international festivals.

Despite a busy global performance schedule, Trung have participated in charity concerts in Việt Nam. In 2022, he raised nearly VNĐ2 billion (nearly US$79,000) for children in difficult circumstances through the “Dream Concert”.

Like pianist Trung, Eric Lu is a student of renowned Vietnamese pianist Đặng Thái Sơn. — Photo ericlupianist.com

Trung graduated with honours from the Music Academy in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the Frost School of Music in the US. He has studied with renowned professors like People’s Artist Đặng Thái Sơn.

His career includes performances with prestigious orchestras at several famous concert halls in the US, Germany, France, Russia and Japan. Notably, he performed solo at the Polish Pavilion during the EXPO 2020 in Dubai.

Born in 1997 in the US, Eric Lu first captured international attention at just 17, when he became a prize winner at the 2015 Chopin International Competition in Warsaw. He later secured first prize at both the 2017 International German Piano Awards and the 2015 US National Chopin Competition. In 2018, he won the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition.

That same year, Warner Classics released his winning performances from Leeds, including Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto and Chopin’s Second Sonata and Fourth Ballade. Lu has also released a Mozart, Schubert and Brahms recital on Genuin Classics. Currently residing in Philadelphia, he studies at the Curtis Institute of Music with Jonathan Biss and Robert McDonald. Like Trung, Lu is also a student of renowned Vietnamese pianist Đặng Thái Sơn.

In 2024, Eric Lu continues his busy performance schedule with renowned orchestras from countries such as the US, Japan, Germany, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, the UK, Singapore, Scotland, China and Việt Nam.

Tickets for the concerts Chopin – Magical Piano and Echoes of Genius are available at https://ticketvn.com. — VNS