HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam National Symphony and Orchestra (VNSO) will play Vietnamese and world masterpieces at a concert at Hà Nội Opera House on January 1.

The concert, entitled V-Concert: Happy New Year, will be crossover played by VNSO musicians under the baton of conductor Tetsuji Honna and guest violinist Lina Matsuda.

"There are many culture events including population concerts being held on holidays, but few classical concerts," said concert organiser Nguyễn Kim Trung, director of Việt Nam Digital Television (VTC). "We want to hold a high-end music show which will honour and bring symphony music closer to audiences. We also hope V-Concert: New Year will become annual favourite music event".

The first part will be Vietnamese pieces, opening with musician Đỗ Kiên Cường’s piece Happy New Year. The opening piece will provide a joyful atmosphere full of energy. The other pieces include Nguyễn Đình Long’s Bài Ca Quê Hương (Motherland Song) and Lê Quang’s Tổ Quốc (Fatherland).

Two folk pieces Trống Cơm (Cylindrical Drum) from the north of Việt Nam and Mưa Rơi (Falling Rain) from Khơ Mú ethnic are arranged for the orchestra by musicians Đỗ Hồng Quân and Đặng Hữu Phúc.

Singers Đăng Dương and Đinh Trang will perform Vietnamese arias and opera extracts in the first part.

V-Concert: Happy New Year will perform world master pieces, such as Voice of Spring by Johann Strauss II; Symphony No.5 by Beethoven; Alleluja by Mozart and others by Shostakovich, Gioacchino Rossini, and Johannes Brahms.

Audiences will see a performance by violinist Matsuda. She was youngest-ever first-prize winner at the 10th Japan Mozart Competition in 2001. Matsuda completed the soloist diploma course at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo and graduated at Nuremberg University of Music in 2006.

She gave her first solo recital in 1999. She has won many prizes, including first prize at the 73rd Japan Music Competition; theAkiyoshidai Music Academy Award, and 2013 Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Music Award.

Conductor Honna has performed with many orchestras including Hungary Philharmonic States, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra and Romanio Radio Chamber before he became principal conductor and music director of VNSO.

Founded in 1959, VNSO gives almost 60 concerts a year, with a repertoire ranging from classical to romantic and contemporary music. The orchestra has performed in the United States, Italy and Japan.

"Happy New Year concert has been being warmly received and become one of the most expectation events in western countries," said Nguyễn Trí Dũng, VNSO’s director. "V-Concert: Happy New Year will be a replica of Happy New Year concert in Viena playing Vietnamese and world master pieces."

The concert will begin at 8pm and broadcast live on VTC. — VNS