Luong Khanh Nhi and Phan Phuc's skillful guitar playing will shine in What Remains Forever

Musician Tran Manh Hung at the press conference "What remains forever" 2025. Photo: Le Anh Dung

High pressure

- 2025 is a year with so many special milestones, so how can "What remains forever" - the concert program that has been held for the 15th year have new points and highlights? As the Music Director, what pressures do you face?

The program must be different from every year, while maintaining the main stream of the main songs, the works that have gone through the years, and must not abandon the instrumental music or folk music or tend to lighten the symphony - which is extremely dangerous. The first people who laid the foundation for What Remains Forever chose symphony because its solemnity and stature are worthy of telling the story of the Fatherland.

It is the greatest musical genre of mankind for hundreds of years and is worthy to tell the story of the Fatherland. The main songs are very suitable for symphonies and chamber and opera singers because when they turn to the Fatherland, the sacred and noble, they have to shed the worldly part. But pop, rock, hip hop, jazz, EDM music has many worldly elements and is less uplifting.

When we go to listen to rock, we can wear shorts or barefoot, but when it comes to classical music, we have to dress politely. When going to classical music, we cannot whistle, shout or talk on the phone, but we have to know the etiquette of that music genre. Classical music is a serious genre. Therefore, when musicians compose songs about the Fatherland, they always aim for nobility. It is not by chance that red music is suitable for symphonic language.

So with What Still Lasts, we have to maintain the core meaning of the program, of the first people who laid the foundation for What Still Lasts , with instrumental and vocal music always going hand in hand. That is a very heavy pressure for us because those things always go against the trend of the majority. But don't underestimate that serious music because the value it brings is huge when it awakens the thinking, the inner core of the listener.

- How was the selection of songs to match the theme of "What remains forever" this year, especially when for the first time the Organizing Committee included Hue royal court music in the program and combined it with symphony music?

This is the “Eastern and Western ancient and modern” royal music in the harmony of the Western symphony orchestra with the Hue ceremonial music. When it plays, it is still an international language. Why choose royal music? Because Hue used to be the cultural and historical capital of Vietnam and royal music has been recognized in the world . Royal music used to be performed on solemn occasions, and today, September 2nd is also an extremely solemn and appropriate occasion.

Diva Hong Nhung returns after serious illness.

Hong Nhung and I have many things in common.

- This year Diva Hong Nhung will return with "What remains forever" after many years of absence. Famous artists always have their own requirements. How did you and singer Hong Nhung "negotiate" to maintain her musical personality while still ensuring the program's requirements when inviting Hong Nhung at the last minute?

At first I thought I had to find a song that suited her and in my head I heard Hanoi Song. Although Hong Nhung had never sung it before, I could still imagine how she would sing it. Hong Nhung really liked Hanoi Song and I thought she would be very surprised when she practiced it with the orchestra. Pop singers rarely sing Hanoi Song and think it is for classical singers.

Hong Nhung and I have something in common: we both studied music at the Hanoi College of Music. We are both from Hanoi, have experienced the same ups and downs of history, and now live in Saigon, so we have many things in common and no conflicts. We only agree on a few small details.

- How about Tung Duong's return to this concert? After 2 years of absence from "Dieu con mai", Tung Duong is at a very different level and is also one of the outstanding artists when singing with a symphony orchestra. What do you expect from Tung Duong in "Dieu con mai" 2025?

This year Tung Duong returns with the hit One Round of Vietnam but it is adapted into an international symphony. The power of the symphony orchestra, when used properly, will elevate light music songs to another level. Of course, the audience will recognize that it is still Tung Duong, still One Round of Vietnam.

Tung Duong returns to "What remains forever" after 2 years of absence.

- In addition to Hong Nhung and Tung Duong, classical music lovers especially appreciate "What remains forever" 2025 because for the first time, it invited two high-class artists such as pianist Luong Khanh Nhi and cellist Phan Phuc, which not every program in the country has received their nods from? Is this the highlight of the instrumental music of this year's program?

I expect a lot from their two performances this year because they are two very talented people, the songs assigned to them are also excellent, classic songs. They play songs that are ingrained in the Vietnamese people's blood, not unfamiliar works ( Song Lo and Huong ve Ha Noi - PV). When these works are played, not only can the audience listen but they can also immerse themselves in them, silently sing along in their souls and I believe that the skillful playing of Luong Khanh Nhi and Phan Phuc will shine in Dieu con mai this year.

- Did you have any difficulty inviting Luong Khanh Nhi to perform in Vietnam on this special occasion?

It's not too difficult to convince her, but VietNamNet will have a harder time arranging time, and luckily, after the performance in Austria on August 30, Luong Khanh Nhi was able to fly back to Vietnam to rehearse and perform for Dieu Con Mai 2025. It's really lucky to be able to invite Luong Khanh Nhi and Phan Phuc.

Musician Tran Manh Hung does not want to be an easy-going person when making serious music. Photo: Le Anh Dung

My salary is just enough to send my children to school.

- This year, in addition to "Dieu con mai" you also participated in many big programs. Being so busy, where does musician Tran Manh Hung find time to rest and take care of himself?

There are times when I feel tired because I am getting older, I feel weaker and have a lot of children. But I think it is a passion and passion has a price (laughs). It is true that I am getting weaker because of writing music, that is for sure!

- But in return, the salary is not too bad, right?

My salary is nothing compared to other young musicians, it's just enough to send my children to school.

- People often say that musician Tran Manh Hung is very difficult?

I don’t want to be easygoing when working with foreigners. If I use Vietnamese standards to judge me, I might be difficult compared to many people, but I understand that I am doing serious music so I can’t be easygoing. There are many foreigners in the orchestra, they will look down on me if I don’t concentrate and work hard. So I am serious with myself and others.