"The Song Lives On" honors Professor, People's Artist Trung Kien.

The special art program "The Songs Live On" is a moving tribute concert, a meeting place for the teacher-student bond, where music becomes a thread connecting the past and present, to remember and honor the talented artist and exemplary teacher - Professor, People's Artist Trung Kien. He left behind a legacy of artistic achievements.

On November 7, 2025, the Vocal Department of the Vietnam National Academy of Music officially announced the special art program "The Songs Live On." This special art program, "The Songs Live On," is being held to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20, 2025. The program is produced by the Vocal Department of the Vietnam National Academy of Music (VNA), with a production by Vàng Son Một Thuở, under the artistic direction of Dr.-People's Artist Do Quoc Hung - Director of the VNA, and with Dr.-Meritorious Artist Tan Nhan as the General Director and Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Hong as the Production Director.

The special art program "The Song Lives On" is divided into three parts and will summarize the career and contributions of Professor, People's Artist Trung Kien to Vietnamese music and his role as an "architect" in teaching and training vocal music in Vietnam, while also showing the continuation of the musical legacy of this renowned teacher and artist.

Part 1 includes classical music works, many of which are Russian classical pieces. Professor and People's Artist Trung Kien was one of the first Vietnamese artists sent to study music in the Russian Federation – a major center of world classical music, where classical vocal training is highly developed. After completing his studies, he brought advanced Russian vocal training methods back to Vietnam, opening a new era for the teaching and development of vocal music in the country. Famous works performed in this section include: Evening at the Harbor (Russian music), The Russian Field (Russian music), Carmen - “Habanera” (G. Bizet), Caruso (Lucio Dalla), Duet Papageno & Papagena from “The Magic Flute” (WAMozart), Aria Gilda "Gualtier Maldè....Caro nome" from the opera Rigoletto (Giuseppe Verdi), Brindisi “Libiamo ne'lieti calici” from La Traviata (G. Verdi)…

According to the organizers, the special art program "Songs That Live On" will be free of charge and will take place at 8 PM on November 16, 2025, at the Vietnam National Academy of Music ( Hanoi ) (photo LAV).

Part 2 - The Flow of Revolutionary Music, recalling musical works associated with the name of Professor, People's Artist Trung Kien - a leading voice of Vietnamese revolutionary music: "Ho Chi Minh, the Most Beautiful Name" (Tran Kiet Tuong), "Song of Truong Son" (composed by Tran Chung), "Sending Sunshine to You" (poem by Bui Van Dung, music by Pham Tuyen), "The Stance of Vietnam" (poem by Le Anh Xuan, music by Nguyen Chi Vu), "Greetings to the Heroic Ma River" (composed by Xuan Giao)... The revolutionary songs in this section are arranged in a gentle, modern, and fresh way, helping the audience better appreciate the softness of revolutionary music when supported by a foundation of classical vocal music. In this section, the audience will clearly feel the message the program wants to convey: the teacher has passed away, but the legacy he left behind lives on in every song, in every generation of artists who follow.

Part 3 - Romantic and Contemporary Music will demonstrate that, throughout his teaching career, People's Artist Trung Kien has always had a multifaceted perspective on various musical genres around the world. He brought many materials on romantic music from Italy, Germany, France, and other countries to Vietnam, including songs that have influenced many generations of his students. And today, his outstanding students continue this musical tradition, affirming: "The musical style that our teacher pioneered lives on in the hearts of every artist."

This section features modern romantic songs such as: Hanoi, the Pink Heart (composed by Nguyen Duc Toan), The First Cold of the Season (music by Do Dung, lyrics by Che Lan Vien), Nightingale Singing in the Rain (composed by Duong Thu), I'm Still Waiting for You to Come Home (music by Le Giang, lyrics by Hoang Hiep), The Stars of the Night (composed by Phan Huynh Dieu), Lingering Love Market (composed by Hoang Binh)...

The program will conclude with the song "The Teacher" (composed by Nguyen Nhat Huy), performed by the collective of artists and the Vocal Department choir as a tribute, illuminating the memory of the teacher who has trained generations of successful artists today.

Interspersed between the performances were precious documentary footage, recreating the image of People's Artist Trung Kien - a simple, dedicated teacher who worked long hours, always wholeheartedly devoted to art and his students. He lived a life dedicated to music, not only training leading artists such as People's Artist Quoc Hung, Meritorious Artist Dang Duong, Meritorious Artist Lan Anh, Meritorious Artist Tan Nhan, Anh Tho, Trong Tan, Le Anh Dung..., but also always caring for, discovering, and supporting young singers who are continuing the path of classical music.

The special art program "Songs That Live On" features leading Vietnamese artists, outstanding students of Professor and People's Artist Trung Kien such as: People's Artist Quang Tho, People's Artist Quoc Hung, Meritorious Artist Dang Duong, Meritorious Artist Lan Anh, Meritorious Artist Tan Nhan, Meritorious Artist Phuong Nga, Meritorious Artist Phuong Uyen… along with singers Trong Tan, Anh Tho, Bich Thuy, Bich Hong, Phuc Tiep, Le Anh Dung, Nguyen Vu, Khanh Ly, Quang Tu, Manh Hoach, Thu Hang, Huong Ly, Minh Tuyen, Thang Long... and pianists: Dr. and Meritorious Artist Trinh Minh Trang, Master Bui Dang Khanh, Master Nguyen Le Thuyen Ha, Master Nguyen Thanh Giang…

Dr. Tan Nhan, Meritorious Artist and Head of the Vocal Department, and General Director of the program, stated: “Each performance in the special art program “The Song Lives On” is not just a performance but like a chapter in a musical memoir honoring Professor and People's Artist Trung Kien – a diligent and quiet teacher who contributed brick by brick to laying the foundation for the training and teaching of vocal music in Vietnam. The program recalls and affirms that the artistic path chosen by Professor and People's Artist Trung Kien is a pioneering and correct path, laying a solid foundation for professional vocal music in our country.”

Professor Trung Kien, People's Artist, is a renowned artist, an exemplary teacher, and a towering figure in Vietnamese vocal music. When discussing modern Vietnamese vocal music, it's impossible not to mention Professor Trung Kien. He is one of the most prominent figures, an artist and educator who dedicated his entire life to revolutionary music and vocal training. He embodies both the great artistic talent and the stature of a teacher, a researcher, and an "architect" in the development of vocal music education in Vietnam.

To the public, People's Artist Trung Kien is first and foremost a leading voice in Vietnamese revolutionary music. He is known for many songs that have accompanied the nation's history. His voice not only resonates on grand stages but is also deeply etched in the minds of many generations of Vietnamese people as a symbol of ideals, patriotism, and the beauty of Vietnamese music in the Ho Chi Minh era. People's Artist Trung Kien possesses a rare, bright, and resonant tenor voice, combining impeccable singing technique with emotion and a dignified, elegant performance style. He sings with the mindset of a soldier-artist, giving revolutionary songs powerful vitality, making them both highly artistic and accessible to the public.

Thanks to this, People's Artist Trung Kien's name has become one of the symbols of Vietnamese vocal art in the 20th century.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/loi-ca-con-mai-ton-vinh-gs-nsnd-trung-kien.html