On the morning of 30/12/2023, music director Vu Quang Trung further explained why the art program honoring musicians Pham Duy, Van Cao, Trinh Cong Son, and Tran Tien could not proceed on the evening of 28/12/2023 in Hanoi. The show, produced by Ngoc Viet Education Company, was scheduled at My Dinh Athletics Palace, Hanoi, with ticket prices ranging from 600,000 VND to 7,000,000 VND.

The primary issue concerned song copyrights. Before the event, the family of musician Trinh Cong Son sent a request to the organizers not to use his works, as copyright fees had not been paid to the Vietnam Center for Protection of Music Copyright (VCPMC), the entity authorized by the family. Consequently, the organizers emailed artists, informing them not to perform these songs.

Poster for the "Ve day bon canh chim troi" program, honoring musicians Van Cao, Pham Duy, Trinh Cong Son, Tran Tien. Photo: Ngoc Viet

Second, musician Vu Quang Trung stated that the organizers violated the contractual agreement by not adequately compensating the crew. After several discussions that failed to reach a consensus, the group of musicians and the band decided to withdraw.

Due to the ongoing negotiation disputes, Mr. Trung believed the team lacked sufficient preparation time to ensure the show's quality. "As music director, my greatest responsibility is not just to deliver excellent music, but also to respect the audience, who purchased tickets believing they would experience a worthwhile program," the musician said.

Regarding copyright, Ms. Trinh Vinh Trinh, representative of Trinh Cong Son's family, explained that the family only waives copyright fees for meaningful activities such as: charity events or debut albums by artists. For ticketed programs, the family authorizes VCPMC to work with organizers, following business regulations where "copyright fees are calculated as a percentage of ticket prices and seating capacity, minus a percentage for complimentary seats. Higher ticket prices and more seats result in larger copyright fees." At that time, Ngoc Viet Education Company stated they were still negotiating with VCPMC.

Several artists, including Pham Thu Ha, Vu Thang Loi, and Mr. Tran Tung, who represented over 50 voices in the children's choir, confirmed they had received 50% of their contracted fees before the show. On 28/12/2023, the producer repeatedly announced cancellations, then reaffirmed that the program would still proceed. At 20:00, the choir was still asked to gather for stage preparation, despite the absence of other artists and the orchestra.

Hong Nhung (left) rehearses with the band for the "Ve day bon canh chim troi" show, on 7/12/2023 in Hanoi. Photo: Contributed

Following the postponement, Ms. Thu Ha, a representative of the organizing committee, apologized to artists and partners for the incident. "Announcing the postponement only after a large audience had already gathered was a regrettable and distressing event, and the producer could not manage the process at that moment. For all audience members requesting refunds without waiting for a new show, we will process full refunds within the next 10 days," Ms. Ha stated.

Lawyer Hoang Ha from the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association stated that the last-minute cancellation due to internal disputes is not merely an artistic mishap but also an infringement upon the legitimate rights of the audience in multiple ways, especially for those traveling from abroad or distant provinces, who incur additional costs for airfare, hotels, and accommodation.

Because the organizers announced the cancellation too late, audience members lost the opportunity to cancel third-party services (airlines, hotels) for refunds. According to the Consumer Rights Protection Law 2023, audiences have the right to receive accurate and complete information about services. "In this case, if the organizers were aware of copyright issues and the withdrawal of the band and artists beforehand but still allowed the audience to arrive and wait at the venue, it could be considered deceptive behavior, wasting their effort and time," lawyer Hoang Ha commented.

Ngoc Viet Education Company has 10 years of experience in organizing entertainment and art events, collaborating with many famous artists on concerts, live shows, and festivals, including: Duong Thu's "Bai hat thu ve" in 11/2023, Phuong Thanh's "Doa hong gai" (2024), Duc Huy's "Nhung gi den tu nhien" (2024), musician Tran Tien's 50th anniversary live show (2023), and Duc Tri's "Tua nhu gio phieu du" (2023).

On the afternoon of 29/12/2023, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports announced that it had summoned representatives of the production company for a meeting, urging them to promptly resolve all issues arising from the show's postponement and ensure audience rights. The agency will coordinate with relevant parties to review and handle the matter in accordance with legal regulations.

Hoang Dung - Ha Thu