Ho Khanh Van preserves Vietnamese cultural roots in Germany.

Ho Khanh Van at the From Wellness to Heritage program in Ho Chi Minh City on January 10th.

Ho Khanh Van had a very successful performance of "From Wellness to Heritage" on the evening of January 10th, as well as the earlier Piano Recital: Ho Khanh Van - 60 Years at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music on January 3rd. Before returning to Europe to study and perform (she is currently pursuing a master's degree at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama, Germany), the 23-year-old artist had an open conversation with reporters from Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio and Television about her journey of studying and striving abroad, as well as her ambitions and aspirations for the present and future.

MELODY AND HEALTH OF BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT

* How did you feel after receiving so much applause and congratulatory flowers following your two performances in Vietnam at the beginning of 2026?

- Every time I return to Vietnam to perform, I feel very happy and joyful. With the 60th Anniversary program organized by Saigon Classical Music Group (a group of classical music lovers in Saigon, founded in 2005), I am very interested in how they recreate the 60-year cycle, considered a human life cycle, as people often say: "Life has completed its cycle, and a new one can begin." Each classical work by Johann Sebastian Bach, Joseph Haydn, Frédéric Chopin, and Ludwig van Beethoven that I present reflects a stage of human development, from innocent childhood and naive passion to mature and fulfilling adulthood in later life.

Ho Khanh Van and her mother - who supported her during her art studies in Europe.

As for the "From Wellness to Heritage" performance, part of the Living Heritage Foundation project connecting artistic heritage with health science, I performed masterpieces by Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Schubert/Liszt, and concluded with a piece titled "Becoming Air," composed by a local artist, Mr. Tran Trong Tu. This performance illuminated the values of world musical heritage from the perspective of health science and self-understanding, contributing to the expression of the vibrational frequencies from music that can bring comprehensive physical and mental health benefits to Vietnamese people in the new era. This is a process of proactively choosing and practicing a positive lifestyle, aiming for physical, mental, and social fulfillment, including balance and mindfulness to regenerate energy and improve the quality of life.

Ho Khanh Van was born in 2002 in Ho Chi Minh City. She began studying piano at the age of 8, successively attending the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, Budapest (Hungary), and Hamburg (Germany). She has won numerous piano awards in Europe, most recently first prize at the Juliusz Zarębski International Competition in Warsaw (Poland) in December 2025.

PROUD OF VIETNAM

* When you returned to Germany, how busy were you with school, training, and professional performances?

- Yes, I will return to diligently practicing at the piano for 5-12 hours a day (laughs). The performances in Vietnam helped me start the new year 2026 with many positive emotions and absorbed very useful mental energy before returning to Europe to continue my artistic journey. Looking ahead, this spring, I am very excited to perform the Piano Recital: 60 Years program for audiences in Germany. Following that are performances with the Elbe Trio, which we just formed in 2025, consisting of myself and two close friends, violinist Yunhe Tang and cellist Hannah Bauer. With my master's program at the Hamburg University of Music and Drama, I am being mentored by Professor Hubert Rutkowski.

"No matter where I am, what I do, or what difficulties I face, I will always be proud to be Vietnamese" - young talent Ho Khanh Van

* As a Vietnamese person studying and pursuing artistic activities in Europe, the "cradle of classical music," how did you overcome all the challenges to achieve such proud success?

- I transformed my initial shyness or nervousness into an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from renowned professors and artists abroad. I am aware of how fortunate and honored I am to be studying in an international environment, working with famous symphony orchestras, and I only hope that I have the ability to continue, the patience to overcome the initial barriers of language, and cultural differences between East and West…

I am proud to be Vietnamese, deeply aware of my Vietnamese cultural roots, and always connected to my homeland. I enjoy participating in high-quality classical music events for the public in my home country, fostering a community of classical music lovers. If there is any opportunity to support or mentor emerging Vietnamese talents in the arts, I am always ready to share my experience and insights gained during my studies and struggles abroad.

Thank you very much and I wish you a very successful New Year!

Trung Nghia

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202601/ho-khanh-van-giu-coi-nguon-van-hoa-viet-บน-dat-duc-d25255b/