Little hands on the piano keys

Late in the afternoon, in a small house in an alley in Nha Trang ward, the clear, poignant sound of a piano filled the air. The pianist was Nguyen Phan Tuan Hung, a visually impaired boy who had just won a silver medal at the 2026 National Piano Talent Festival. With his keen sense of pitch and nimble hands, each piece Hung performed was like a storyteller, illuminating the room with its own unique language.

Tuan Hung is learning math using Braille with Ms. Dau Huong Giang.

Growing up with music

Tuan Hung was born prematurely. This deficiency deprived him of something precious: sight. Despite his family's efforts to seek treatment everywhere and numerous surgeries, he has never once seen his mother's face, the blue of Nha Trang's sea, or the black and white piano keys that his tiny hands touch every day. When Hung turned one year old, his family placed a piano beside him – initially just as a game, a way to entertain a child who couldn't see the world around him. But then, a miracle happened: Hung developed an excellent sense of pitch. He gradually learned to glide his fingers across the keys, creating melodic flows of sound. By the age of three, Hung could sing the lyrics and rhythm of songs his relatives played correctly. Seeing her son's musical talent, Ms. Phan Thi Thu Dung (Hung's mother) sought out music centers in Nha Trang to teach him music, but all she received was the answer: "We don't know how to teach music to the visually impaired." The doors kept closing, once, then many times, making it seem as though they would completely shut down Hung's musical career.

The turning point for Hung came in 2022. During a trip to Thailand, Mrs. Dung's family happened to meet a visually impaired Vietnamese student studying music there. In just one short afternoon, the student realized something many had overlooked: Tuan Hung had a natural musical talent. He could listen to a piece of music and find the notes on the piano keys himself, and could play the music on his own without any guidance.

Fingers that tell stories

After that trip, Ms. Dung's family became even more determined to have their son study music. Hung's first teacher was Ms. Do Sau. For over a year, the teacher and student patiently worked together to find a unique learning method for the special student. And the first sweet fruit ripened when Hung won a silver medal at the Grand Opus International Piano Competition in Hanoi in 2023. From the end of 2024, Ms. Do Sau moved to France, so for the past two years, Tuan Hung has mainly studied music online with her. Despite the time difference, Hung still dedicates time each week to practicing the piano and receives dedicated guidance from his teacher. In the past three years, Hung has regularly participated in music competitions for young people and won high awards, becoming a source of pride for his family and school. Her achievements include third prize (amateur group) at Vietnam's Piano Got Talent 2024 in Hue, a silver medal at the Crescendo International Music Festival & Competition 2025 in Hanoi, and a gold medal (amateur group) at Vietnam's Piano Got Talent 2025 in Khanh Hoa. Most recently, she won a silver medal and the Most Inspiring Contestant award at the National Piano Talent Festival 2026 in Hanoi. At this competition, hundreds of spectators were captivated by her small hands mastering the piano.

Tuan Hung has won numerous awards at piano competitions.

Listening to Hung play a piece by Friedrich Kuhlau (a Danish composer), one can clearly feel why his performance is so moving. The rapid, summery finger runs suddenly subside into a single, lingering note, like the sigh of a twilight evening. There are moments when his small hands seem to stop touching the keys and instead fly, draw, and whisper things that are difficult to express in words.

My dream is to become a professional pianist.

What is admirable is not only his musical ability but also the fact that Tuan Hung is in the 3rd grade at Vinh Nguyen Primary School (Nha Trang ward) like any other child. "Despite being visually impaired, Hung learns very quickly. He does well in Math, Vietnamese, and Natural Sciences," commented his homeroom teacher, Dang Thi Minh Thu.

To achieve this, Ms. Dung's family had to open doors themselves. They hired someone to teach their child Braille, contacted Nguyen Dinh Chieu School in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to borrow textbooks; and when they couldn't borrow them due to different curricula, the family ordered Braille books printed in Ho Chi Minh City for their child to study. When Hung was in second grade, through the introduction of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Association of the Blind, the family connected with Ms. Dau Huong Giang – a visually impaired person who wholeheartedly tutored Hung for free. Not only did she teach him Braille, but Ms. Giang also searched for teaching materials and improved his knowledge daily. "I want the community to recognize that visually impaired people can still study and work usefully for society," Ms. Giang shared. On her face, I saw the long journey she had taken, now passing it on to the next generation.

Tuan Hung next to his piano at his home on Luong The Vinh Street (Nha Trang Ward).

Tuan Hung shared that his dream is to become a professional pianist. Behind him, Mrs. Dung smiled, her eyes shining with a hint of tears. "I want him to stand on his own two feet. The path to becoming a professional artist is still fraught with challenges, but my family will try our best. What my family is always grateful for is the many people who have supported and helped Tuan Hung get to where he is today," Mrs. Dung expressed.

Teacher DO SAU : Tuan Hung has a special talent for music. From the first time I met him, I noticed that he had a very good sense of pitch. In particular, Hung is very serious and patient in learning the piano. Over the years, Hung has made great progress in playing the piano and can play difficult pieces. The awards he has won are proof of his piano playing ability. Teaching Hung to play music is a joy for me. He is also a role model for me, which makes me love my profession and life even more.

Tuan Hung received the silver medal at the 2026 National Piano Talent Festival.

I left Hung's small family home as dusk was falling, the sound of his guitar still echoing behind me. These were melodies played by a boy who had never seen the light, but with determination and passion, he was gradually illuminating his own dreams.

XUAN THANH

Implement disability policies in a coordinated and effective manner.

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/xa-hoi/202604/doi-tay-nho-บน-phim-duong-cam-d3b751f/