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.

Meaningful art playground

The 2025 National Expanded Music Festival (Festival) with the theme "Music Convergence and Spread" is organized by the Vietnam Musicians Association in collaboration with the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City Radio and Television Station and the City Music Association. This year's festival is expanded in 2 areas: composition and performance with the participation of 37 units from music associations of provinces and cities, the Vietnam National Academy of Music, theaters...

The artists brought to the Festival more than 200 performances such as solos, duets, trios and quartets, choirs, dances, solos of musical instruments... The festival's jury included famous musicians and artists: People's Artist - Musician Nguyen Quang Vinh, Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Musicians' Association, Head of the jury; Musician Tran Nhat Duong; People's Artist Ta Minh Tam; Musician Giang Son; Musician Hoai An.

Young singer Vo Le Quynh Le performs the song "Vietnamese Girl Song" by musician Thu Huong

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

Musician Vo Cong Anh, Head of the Gia Dinh Branch, Vietnam Musicians Association, shared: “The innovation in the scale and organization of the festival has helped promote the thinking and responsibility for artistic creation of musicians across the country. For example, the expansion of the ensemble and solo genres has helped musicians pay more attention to developing traditional music, in addition to composing songs. The Festival's awards, in addition to pride, are also a great motivation for musicians to actively compose, singers to strive to practice and perform, bringing to the festival fresh and quality musical colors.”

Colorful

Compared to the 2024 National Music Festival (held in Ninh Binh province), this year's Festival has a superior performance and the participating artists and singers. Notably, in addition to the participation of veteran musicians in the Vietnamese music industry, this year's Festival also recorded the presence of many young musicians.

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

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 occasions for today's young artists to have the opportunity to interact and learn directly from artists of the previous generation such as Truong Quang Luc, The Bao... And vice versa, our generation also learns new and modern things from young people, all helping each other to contribute to promoting the development of domestic music”.

Held in Ho Chi Minh City after the merger, many musicians brought compositions related to current issues. Typically, musician Nguyen Van Hien participated in the Festival with a newly composed work, New City on the East Coast.

“The song New City on the East Coast I wrote about Ho Chi Minh City after the merger, a dynamic, modern city, but still maintaining its own identity on the journey to become the first megacity of Vietnam,” musician Nguyen Van Hien confided.

On the evening of November 2, at the City Theater (No. 7, Lam Son Square, Saigon Ward), the Symphony Orchestra of the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet, Symphony Orchestra and Music Theater (HBSO) together with Vietnamese and Chinese artists and singers will perform the Vietnam - China Friendship Symphony. The work consists of 4 movements and 2 songs, composed by Vietnamese and Chinese musicians. Immediately after the performance is the closing ceremony and award ceremony of 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