The Military Symphony Orchestra will debut officially at Hồ Gươm Opera House on February 28. Photo qdnd.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Military Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will officially debut at Hồ Gươm Opera House on February 28 in a performance that features 200 musicians.

The concert Thanh Âm Dưới Mặt Trời (Sounds Under the Sunlight) will take place in three parts, bridging the legacy of revolutionary music with modern pop and global masterpieces.

According to MSO director and composer Lieutenant Colonel Đỗ Bảo, the orchestra will play symphonic instrumental works, pop orchestra suites and choral and ensemble performances featuring newly arranged traditional songs, showcasing the full expressive range of a crossover symphony orchestra.

"The show stands out for its ability to connect with listeners through inventive musical interpretation," Bảo said. "Originally concise songs have been expanded and restructured into larger suites, creatively fused with newly written instrumental compositions to form a more expansive symphonic narrative."

It will also evoke the beauty and pride of Việt Nam and its people, the enduring image of Uncle Hồ’s soldiers, defence and nation-building and the splendour of the country in a new era marked by aspirations for strength, prosperity and deeper international integration.

These themes unfold across a diverse repertoire of forms such as overtures, symphonies, symphonic poems, fantasia, symphonic suites and staged excerpts from musical theatre.

Nearly 200 musicians, both military and civilian, will perform at the show. The orchestrations and arrangements are shaped by a distinguished team of composers including Nguyễn Xuân Thủy, Mai Kiên and Đỗ Bảo.

Among the performers are Meritorious Artist Vũ Thắng Lợi, soprano Phạm Thu Hà, vocal group OPlus and flautist Lê Thư Hương, alongside Đỗ Tố Hoa, the Female Vocal Ensemble of the Military Music and Dance Theatre and the MSO Choir.

The show will be conducted under the baton of Lê Phi Phi and Nguyễn Xuân Bắc. Phi was born in Hà Nội in a family with a musical background. After graduating from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatoire, he became the permanent conductor of the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra from 1993 to 2000.

People’s Artist Colonel Bắc is Vice Rector of the Military University of Culture and Arts. He has directed and produced numerous large-scale artistic programmes, each distinguished by a strong professional imprint and artistic depth.

The pairing of the two principal conductors stands as a powerful symbol of dialogue and integration, reflecting the meeting point between Vietnamese musical identity and the evolving landscape of the international symphonic tradition.

The MSO was established last year by the Military University of Culture and Arts with three extended groups, including strings, brass and electronic musical instruments, equivalent to international orchestras in Austria, France and Germany. Along with a framework of leaders, commanders, assistants and staff, there are 101 full-time musicians in the orchestra.

As a bridge for cultural and artistic exchanges between the military and the people and international friends, the MSO will participate in domestic and international cultural and artistic exchange programmes and promote international cooperation in the field of music. — VNS