The concert opens with the symphonic poem Night on Bald Mountain by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky. Following this is Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, his only completed concerto and rich in Norwegian folk melodies.

Composers Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (left) and Edvard Grieg. Photo: Pixel/Magnus Manske

The first half concludes with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, one of the most famous violin concertos in the world. Composed in 1878 by Lake Geneva (Switzerland), the piece was inspired by his close friend Iosif Kotek.

49-year-old conductor Le Ha My comes from a family with a strong artistic tradition. His father, an opera director and People's Artist Van Ha, guided him towards classical music from a young age. He graduated with a degree in piano from the Hanoi Conservatory of Music in 1999 and then studied orchestral conducting with People's Artist Nguyen Trong Bang. At the end of 2000, he went to Russia to study at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. In 2006, he graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory. He is currently the director and conductor of the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO).

Conductor Le Ha My. Photo provided by the organizers.

The event also features pianist Tran Dieu Linh and violinist Do Phuong Nhi. Tran Dieu Linh began studying piano at the age of 5. At 7, she studied piano at the Moscow School of Music and Pedagogy for three years under the guidance of Isayeva Marina. In 2010, Dieu Linh continued her studies at the Gnessin Academy of Music with Professor Shklovskaya Tatiana Grigorievna. She has performed in Russia, Hungary, Armenia, the US, Germany, France, and Poland.

Do Phuong Nhi made her debut at age 11, performing Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 with the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra. She later pursued a bachelor's degree at the Barratt Due Institute of Music (Norway) with Professor Stephan Barratt-Due, graduating in 2020. Two years later, she received a master's degree in performance from the Norwegian Academy of Music under the guidance of Professor Elise Båtnes.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was one of Russia's greatest composers, renowned for his blend of Western romantic style and Russian folk material. He left behind immortal masterpieces such as the ballets Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty, along with symphonies and concertos for piano and violin.

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) was a prominent Norwegian composer, considered the "father of Northern European romantic music." He is notable for his ability to incorporate Norwegian folk melodies into classical music, creating a distinct and rich style. His most famous works include the Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16, and Peer Gynt Suite No. 1.

Cat Tien