HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese fouth-year student Cao Đình Thắng from the Moscow Tchaikovski Conservatory won third prize in mixing sounds for wind instruments orchestra (wind ensemble harmonisation) at a recent music festival for wind instrument artists in Russia.

The annual festival, which has been held since 2013, aims to enhance training quality and update teaching methods at music institutions throughout Russia.

It also promotes co-operation in composing, encourages exchange of creative achievements by young composers, introduces classic works and educates young people in the arts.

This year’s event included performing and composing contests and workshops on professional matters that gathered students, teachers and leading experts in the fields of orchestra conducting and wind instruments performance.

Thắng, who is from the conservatory’s Composing Faculty, won one of two third prizes, while the rest of the awards went to Russian students.

“His third prize is not a small achievement,” noted Prof Igor Nikolaevich Savinov, a composer and lecturer at the academy. “Especially as there was no first prize given in this category.”

He said he appreciated the knowledge, work ethic and composing capability of Thắng during his time at the academy.

Earlier this month, Thắng won second prize at the Russian National Composing Contest for his piece for solo piano. The contest was dedicated to writer Lev Tolstoy and offered a special prize by the Voice of Russia. — VNS