HÀ NỘI — A performance of Russian classical music will be the highlight of the Toyota Concert 2016 in Hà Nội and HCM City next month.

Japanese conductor Honna Tetsuji, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Việt Nam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO),  said he selected only Russian music for the concert because "Russia and Việt Nam have a significant bond".

"Russian music became a part of life of many Vietnamese, who studied and lived in Russia. Russia is also the homeland of many great composers, whose masterpieces are valuable treasures of the world’s classical music," Tetsuji said.

Under the baton of Tetsuji, the VNSO will play music from the opera Ruslan and Ludmilla by Mikhail Glinka.

The concert will also feature the piano soloist Vũ Ngọc Linh, who will play the Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 by Sergei Rachmaninov.

Linh became playing the piano at six and then enrolled in the School for Young and Gifted Kids in Moscow, and then the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He then went back to Việt Nam to continue his studying at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music.

In 2001, Linh was awarded a full scholarship to study in the US. During this period, he won several prizes from various piano competitions in the US. In 2004, Linh bagged first prize of the Piano and Orchestra Competition in New Jersey. One year later, he took the second prize of a piano competition held by the New Jersey Music Teachers Association.

In 2009, the pianist continued to sharpen his skills by pursuing his master’s degree in Australia.

Despite having performed with several symphony orchestras in the US, Russia and Việt Nam before, Linh said he is nervous to play this piece by Rachmaninov for the first time.

"However, I believe that my strong bond with Russia will help me to play the work emotionally," said the 34-year-old artist, who is now a piano lecturer of the Việt Nam National Academy of Music.

At the concert, Linh will also present the Symphony No.5 in E minor, Op. 64 by P.I. Tchaikovsky.

This work was written from May to August 1888 and first performed, under Tchaikovsky’s own baton, in St Petersburg on November 6, 1888. Although this work is not among his most famous it was one of the more popular symphonies during World War II.

Symphonies by Tchaikovsky are something Linh is familiar with, allowing him to attract fans, including conductor Tetsuji.

The Japanese conductor explained why he decided to invite pianist Linh to perform at the Toyota Concert 2016.

"I once saw Linh perform when he played a work by Tchaikovsky at the grand hall of the Việt Nam National Academy of Music. The performance was great," Tetsuji said.

Held by the Toyota Motor Vietnam (TMV) in collaboration with the VNSO, the Toyota Concert 2016 will take place at Hà Nội Opera House on August 5&6, before travelling to HCM City for two shows at HCM City Municipal Theatre on August 10&11.

Tickets for the concerts are available at the Hà Nội Opera House (Tel: 0913489858) and the HCM City Municipal Theatre (Tel: 0989874517). 

All the concerts’ proceeds will go to the Toyota Scholarship for Young Vietnamese Music Talents, aiming to encourage Vietnamese musicians to develop their skills, as well as making more contributions to the development of Vietnamese music.

According to Đoàn Thị Yến, a TMV representative, more than 640 scholarships were given to musical talents since the scholarship was founded in 2009. — VNS