National Music Festival 2025: Music Convergence and Spread

On the evening of October 30, at the Southern Military Theater (No. 140, Cong Hoa Street, Tan Binh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Music Festival took place.

A meaningful artistic playground

The 2025 National Music Festival (the Festival), themed “Music Convergence and Dissemination,” is organized by the Vietnam Musicians Association in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, Ho Chi Minh City Radio and Television Station, and the City Music Association. This year's festival expands to two areas: composition and performance, with the participation of 37 units from provincial and city music associations, the Vietnam National Academy of Music, theaters, and more.

Artists brought more than 200 performances to the festival, including solos, duets, trios, quartets, group singing, dance, and instrumental solos. The festival's judging panel included renowned musicians and artists: People's Artist - musician Nguyen Quang Vinh, Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Musicians Association, Head of the judging panel; musician Tran Nhat Duong; People's Artist Ta Minh Tam; musician Giang Son; and musician Hoai An.

Young singer Vo Le Quynh Le performs the song "Song of the Vietnamese Girl" by composer Thu Huong.

Major General - musician Nguyen Duc Trinh, President of the Vietnam Musicians Association and Head of the Organizing Committee of the festival, said: “This year's festival has many innovations, such as: in addition to the composition competitions, the content has been expanded to include vocal performances and solo performances of both traditional and Western musical instruments; this is also the second year the festival has included the participation and performances of some Chinese musicians, with the highlight being that artists from both countries will perform a symphony concert about the friendship between Vietnam and China.”

Composer Vo Cong Anh, Chairman of the Gia Dinh Branch of the Vietnam Musicians Association, shared: “The innovation in scale and format of the festival has helped to promote the creative thinking and responsibility of musicians nationwide. For example, expanding the genres of ensemble and solo performances has helped musicians pay more attention to developing traditional Vietnamese music, alongside songwriting. The awards of the Festival, besides being a source of pride, are also a great motivation for musicians to actively compose, and for singers to strive to practice and perform, bringing fresh and high-quality musical colors to the festival.”

A variety of colors

Compared to the 2024 National Music Festival (held in Ninh Binh province), this year's festival boasts a significant improvement in the number of performances and participating artists and singers. Notably, alongside the participation of veteran composers in the Vietnamese music scene, this year's festival also features the participation of many young composers.

“Young musicians today have good professional skills and knowledge, and strong creativity. What we need to do is create conditions to help them develop, especially in raising their political , cultural, and social awareness. Activities like the Festival will be an opportunity for them not only to hone their skills but also to understand the meaning and value of a musician through musical art serving political events and national festivals,” shared musician Vo Cong Anh.

Sharing the same view of encouraging and supporting the next generation of young musicians, veteran musician Van Thanh Nho expressed: "Events like the Festival are rare opportunities for today's young artists to interact and learn directly from artists of the previous generation such as Truong Quang Luc, The Bao... And conversely, our generation also learns new and modern things from the young people, all helping each other to contribute to promoting the development of domestic music."

Held in Ho Chi Minh City after the reunification, the festival featured many compositions related to current events. A prime example is composer Nguyen Van Hien, who participated with his newly composed work, "New City on the East Sea Shore."

"The song 'New City on the East Sea Shore' that I wrote is about Ho Chi Minh City after the merger, a dynamic, modern city that has always maintained its unique identity on its journey to becoming Vietnam's first megacity," composer Nguyen Van Hien revealed.

On the evening of November 2nd, at the City Theatre (7 Lam Son Square, Saigon Ward), the Ho Chi Minh City Symphony Orchestra (HBSO), along with Vietnamese and Chinese artists and singers, will perform the Vietnam-China Friendship Symphony. The work consists of four movements and two songs, jointly composed by Vietnamese and Chinese composers. Following the performance will be the closing ceremony and awards presentation for the 2025 National Music Festival.

THUY BINH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/lien-hoan-am-nhac-toan-quoc-mo-rong-nam-2025-am-nhac-hoi-tu-va-lan-toa-post820941.html