MAGICAL MEMORIES: 'A Leap of Faith' honours the Walt Disney film studio's 100-year journey. — Photo courtesy of Concert of Childhood Memory

Khánh An

The Concert of Childhood Memory (CCM) has continued for eight years, bringing music concerts featuring childhood favourites like Disney, Ghibli and One Piece, with the goal to create a community of young audiences who love classical works.

In 2016, the story of the CCM began when its founders, then student secretaries at various faculties of the Việt Nam National Academy of Music, set out to create a performance space where talented students and aspiring classical musicians could perform.

“At that time, young and talented orchestra artists like us had few opportunities to perform in front of a mass audience, which was exclusively for professional philharmonic orchestras,” said Lã Tuấn Cường, co-founder and head of the CCM organisation board.

The CCM team aimed to popularise the love of the classical music genre, creating a community of symphonic music-loving audiences, dispelling the common prejudice that classical music is "only for people with taste", which discouraged young people from learning more about the genre.

Choosing themes featuring childhood favourites such as Disney, Ghibli, Harry Potter, and One Piece, the CCM recalls beautiful childhood memories through classical music in youthful and creative ways.

“As we become older, we become accustomed to the hustle and bustle of life and the tiring cycle of work. The CCM aims to start a journey for audiences to remember how innocent and pure their childhood was, and to rediscover how to nurture and pursue their dreams,” Cường said.

ATMOSPHERIC: Concert of Childhood Memory is a combination of music, lighting designs and visual arts. Photo courtesy of Concert of Childhood Memory

Having started full of musical students, the orchestra now comes from different age groups, including current students and alumni of the Việt Nam National Academy of Music, and even musicians from professional philharmonic orchestras.

“The CCM orchestra resembles a family. Musicians with expertise can mentor younger ones, and artists with fresh perspectives from a younger age can diversify the orchestra,” Tạ Thị Thanh Hương, head of content at the CCM said.

A vibrant fantasy world

Even when choosing a playlist from the same studio, the CCM team renews and opts for a completely fresh theme and concept, turning each season of the CCM into an unpredictable surprise.

"The CCM team examined the entire playlist and developed a new flow from start to finish of the programme. Even though it's the same song, with a different theme, the CCM recomposes it to fit the season's concert concept,” Hương said.

The CCM impresses young audiences with elaborate stage effects via lighting designs, accompanied by visual projections of wildly expressive illustrations, creating a performance atmosphere that draws the audiences into a vibrant fantasy world.

At each concert, every year, CCM’s tradition is to bring audiences a special physical ticket as a commemorative gift, enhancing their memorable experience.

“When we discuss the idea of a ticket each year, the entire team decides that we not only provide a regular ticket; instead, we give audiences a special discovery experience. Audiences not only learn more about the symphony programme, but also have the opportunity to experience the show's magical atmosphere, even before the performance begins,” Hương said.

This year, to mark the Walt Disney film company's 100-year journey, the CCM performed iconic soundtracks from the animation studio with an attendance of nearly 100 artists, including the choir and young vocalists like Lan Quỳnh, champion of Sao Mai 2022, and Hoàng Phương, runner-up of The Debut 2018.

WIZARDRY: Tickets for Concert of Childhood Memory 2018: Beyond Magic in the form of a music box that mesmerised Harry Potter fans in 2018. — Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Quân Ngọc

'Living alongside the characters'

Fairy stories are a staple of Disney animation, which draws influence from various cultures around the world. An emotive, vibrant and virtuosic performance by the CCM, conducted by Mai Xuân Hải, was brought to Disney lovers.

“Animation soundtracks match closely the theme and setting, making audiences feel as though they are living alongside the characters. Aladdin features songs with mysterious oriental colours from the Arab world, Lion King has the sound of endless and magnificent Africa, and The Little Mermaid's music is as bustling as the sound of the ocean,” said conductor Hải.

Choosing the theme A Leap of Faith, the CCM wishes to embrace the moral values of faith and courage through adventures in Disney movies.

“We want to encourage the audience to nurture their inner voice of fearlessness. The hero is not someone far away - the miracle is born within us from a brave moment as a leap of faith,” Hương said.

Whatever the theme is, the CCM always seeks to build an imaginary environment that audiences can live in, explore outside of the real world, and nurture in their inner world. VNS