HÀ NỘI — Music lovers can enjoy a concert featuring French conductor Nathalie Marin and soloist Vũ Việt Chương on December 15 at the Hà Nội Opera House.

Under the baton of conductor Marin, musicians from the Việt Nam National Symphony and Orchestra (VNSO) will play Concerto for Violin by Jean Sibelius; The Girl from Arles’s Suite No1 and No2 by Georges Bizet and A Day in Ciboure by Eric Dartel.

The piece by French composer Dartel will be premiering at the concert. The composer finished the piece a few months ago to commemorate composer Maurice Ravel, who was born in the city of Ciboure in southwestern France.

"It is very important to play music by a living composer," said conductor Marin. "Dartel sent me his new piece some time ago. I immediately liked it and I proposed it for this concert."

This will be Marin’s first time conducting an orchestra in Việt Nam, and her first visit to the country as well.

"I appreciate it very much,” she said. “We are working very well with the musicians of VNSO." 

Marin is one of only a few female conductors in the world. She has dreamed of becoming a conductor since she was a child. She obtained her conducting Masters degree at the Danish Royal Academy in Copenhagen where she was assistant conductor to Michel Tabachnik. 

She has been artistic director for orchestras and music festivals such as the National Symphonic Orchestra of Ecuador and the French Ensemble Orchestra de I’Isere. As guest conductor she has performed with many orchestras in the world, such as the Brussels Philharmonic; Rudolstadt Symphony Orchestra and Voralberg Symphony Orchestra at theatres La Fenice in Venice and Bregenz Festspielhaus, Austria.

Under Marin’s baton, violinist Chương will perform Concerto for Violin, which has been recorded over 50 times since the beginning of the 21^st century. Chương is Doctor of Musical Arts and the concertmaster of the San Angelo Symphony Orchestra.

Praised for his "exquitise playing" by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Yehudi Wyner, Chương has been a soloist and orchestra member in North and South America, Europe and Asia with a wide ranging repertoire that spans from early baroque to modern music.

He is currently artistic director of Việt Nam Connection Music Festival and the Dallas-based International Chamber Players.

VNSO’s subscription concert will begin at 8pm.— VNS