The Octagonal House will host the Crescendo - Symphony Connection on July 4, offering a free international performance to the public. Photos courtesy of organisers

HÀ NỘI — Renowned Vietnamese and international artists will gather to perform a free outdoor concert near Hà Nội's famous Hoàn Kiếm Lake on July 4.

Organised by the city's Department of Culture and Sports, the special music performance is titled Crescendo - Symphony Connection and will be held at 6.30pm at the Octagonal House, next to the King Lý Thái Tổ Monument Garden.

The Octagonal House has been hosting weekly music events in a bid to bring classical music closer to the public. However, this will be the first time foreign artists are invited to the show, helping to promote the image of Hà Nội as a global destination for international cultural and artistic events.

The concert is being held as part of the 2026 Crescendo International Music Festival and Competition, which is ongoing in the capital city, featuring the Crescendo Festival Orchestra and artists, academics and musicians from Japan, Austria, China, Brunei, South Korea and Việt Nam.

Supported with modern sound, lighting and projection technologies, the programme is designed as a musical journey that connects cultures through classical masterpieces and melodies deeply imbued with Vietnamese identity.

Renowned Vietnamese artists will perform along with international musicians at the event.

Audience members will enjoy global favourites including Vivaldi's Summer, Bonjour Vietnam, The Nightingale by Alexander Alyabie and an excerpt of Largo al Factotum by Gioachino Rossini.

These will be played along with familiar works from Việt Nam, such as Một Vòng Việt Nam (Go around Việt Nam), Trống Cơm (Small Drum), Bài Ca Hy Vọng (Song of Hope) and Người Hà Nội (Hà Nội People).

Pianists Rintaro Akamatsu from Japan, Guorong Liang from China and singer Shamiyeh Christina from Austria will perform alongside Vietnamese pianist Nguyễn Trinh Hương, violinist Trịnh Minh Hiền and guitarist Lê Thu under the baton of Vietnamese conductor Dustin Tiêu and South Korean Daniel Park.

The highlight of the programme will be a performance of We Are the World featuring an orchestra, a children's choir, all of the international guest artists and the young talents of Crescendo 2026, conveying a message of peace, friendship and connection among nations.

The six-day Crescendo International Music Festival and Competition began on June 30 with series of art and music activities.

A competitor performs with the orchestra at the 2026 Crescendo International Music Festival and Competition.

Around 1,300 competitors from Việt Nam and more than 70 international talents from nine countries and regions are taking part in the event. Accompanying the contestants are over 50 international professors, PhDs, artists and music experts, participating as judges, speakers, performers and professional advisors.

They compete in categories including piano, guitar, string instruments and singing, and perform with the symphony orchestra.

Alongside the competitions is a series of workshops, seminars and academic exchange activities involving domestic and international artists, educators and experts, offering young musicians the opportunity to learn, share experiences and gain insight into cutting-edge global trends in music education and performance.

The festival will end on July 5 with an awards ceremony for the best competitors at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music. — VNS