Who is Cuong Tong that he dares to debut with an instrumental album?

Releasing an instrumental album in this day and age, Cuong Tong must be very confident. But who is Cuong Tong?

In addition to film music, game music, and conventions, Cuong Tong also participated in many major concerts in China as well as performed with the China Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra and the Tianjin Symphony Orchestra - Photo: NVCC

Until a few days ago when the mini album Ho Anh Am Nhac was released , the audience learned about the background of artist Cuong Tong (real name: Tong Duc Cuong).

Cuong To chose the music to " best portray himself "​​​​​​

Born into a family with an artistic tradition, the son of the late musician Duc Minh - the famous author of Em la hoa Pơ - lang, Tren bien que huong , Dat mo que ta ... , Cuong Tong learned piano from the age of 6 .

But at that time, music was not his favorite thing. Nevertheless, Cuong was still taken by his father to all the recording studios in Hanoi, assigned tasks related to writing music. His love for music gradually grew from there.

In 1996, Cuong Tong studied at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music (now the Vietnam National Academy of Music) under the guidance of Meritorious Artist Nguyen Huu Tuan and Professor, Doctor, People's Artist Tran Thu Ha and won first prize in group B for piano at the 2007 Autumn Concours .

A year later, under the guidance of People's Artist Dang Thai Son, Cuong Tong continued to have the opportunity to perform at the Kirishima International Music Festival (Japan) before receiving a full scholarship from the Vietnamese State to study piano performance, composition, arrangement and jazz at the China Conservatory of Music in 2008.

He is a student of Kong Hongwei (Chinese Jazz icon) and the late musician Shi Wanchun (national treasure of modern Chinese music).

After 13 years of studying, working in music, especially making film music in China, Cuong Tong returned home in 2019, then got stuck because of COVID-19; fate came and he got married and stayed in Vietnam, leaving behind his house with all its furniture and clothes drying on the porch in China.

Excerpt from Listening to the Sea - Cuong Tong

Operating in parallel in both the Vietnamese and Chinese markets, behind Zebra Studio Music with the most modern studio system in Hanoi and collaborating with many artists such as Quyen Thien Dac, Ngo Hong Quang, Hoang Quyen, Luu Quang Minh, Luu Duc Anh, the band Ngọt, Vinh Khuat..., Cuong Tong "hid " for several years and Ho i anh am nhac is the first product he introduced to the Vietnamese public .

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Cuong Tong shared that as someone trained in classical music and classical piano, he has enough techniques and ideas to best portray himself through instrumental music.

"This is a product I made for myself, to satisfy myself I do what I love the most", he said "next I will introduce my other colors and styles such as pop, jazz, film music...".

The music is not heavy but easy to listen to.

The 20 -minute musical flashback includes 5 pieces of music: Love Waltz , Listening to the Sea , Fire , Autumn , Childhood Memories . This duration is just enough for Cuong Tong to tell stories about his past childhood memories as well as a time of youth hidden in his mind .

Currently, Cuong Tong operates in parallel in both the Vietnamese and Chinese markets - Photo: NVCC

The main concept is based on the five elements of emotions, each song represents an element (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth) and a corresponding emotional state.

If the Wall is love​​​​ Evoking a festive, youthful atmosphere with fast, bright, and cheerful rhythms, Nghe bien and Lu a , the sounds are dark and deep, with some contrasting points, expressing opposing inner feelings.

Come Autumn , the wood element emerges, autumn makes the heart calm like a lake, simple after the storm.

Childhood memories​​​​ again full of earth with beautiful moments. Smiles, warm sunshine, blooming clouds… repeat like a cycle of heaven and earth.

The song expresses the album's theme: The land is the final place to return to; it is also the first and last memory of a person from birth until death.

In addition to Cuong Tong's piano, the album features piccolo/flute, violin, viola, trumpet, cello, contrabass, tuba, bassoon, trombone... performed by many artists. All of them create a warm, intimate musical scene. Listening to the music, you don't feel too heavy or academic, but on the contrary, it's quite chill and pleasant.

Releasing a purely instrumental album in the current context of Vietnam, Cuong Tong said he wanted to introduce to the audience the music he loves. That is a very personal thought but also shows that the artist must be very confident.

BEAN DUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cuong-tong-la-ai-ma-dam-chao-san-bang-mot-album-khi-nhac-2025113015393744.htm