People's Artist Ngo Van Thanh

The director, though humble, is an inspiration to students at the Hanoi Conservatory of Music after Professor, Doctor, and People's Artist Tran Thu Ha retired from her administrative role.

I mention this to let you know that I've known Ngo Van Thanh for a very long time. It also means that my article about him, the project I planned, has been unfinished for over twenty years. He is not only a dedicated administrator and professor, but also one of Vietnam's most accomplished violinists.

violinist Ngo Van Thanh

The reason, first of all, is that both he and I are extremely busy. Generally speaking, he's not like those who need another article to gain more fame (although quite a few have already been written about him), while I'm so careful and meticulous that I won't write anything until I've actually heard his violin playing. (This applies to anyone—whether they're a writer, musician, painter, or film artist—I always have to read, watch, and listen to their work before writing an article...). He has many other achievements, but when talking about him, I want to start by mentioning his mastery of the violin.

Now that I've had the opportunity to attend his lectures and hear him perform some of the best and most difficult works by composers such as J. Massenet, CH Gluck, E. Elgar, C. Debussy, J.S. Bach, F. Kreisler, R. Schubert, S. Racmaninov… I deeply regret not writing about him sooner. He didn't lose anything, but I and the public did. A person like Ngo Van Thanh should have been admired more, more in accordance with his true potential… To have the chance to thoroughly understand and appreciate such talent is a great fortune in life. Ngo Van Thanh's violin playing is poignant, tender, profound, subtle, and skillful, yet still distinctive... To put it simply: if the singers of Ca Tru have a resonant, vibrant voice, Ngo Van Thanh's violin playing is very clear and has a core... The violin in his hands seems to possess magic, and his face is angelic when he performs... I was once hired by an international school to paint portraits of world classical composers. When I heard Ngo Van Thanh's violin playing, I instinctively saw the images of those famous figures appear before and around me; they also admired Ngo Van Thanh as I did…

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Fifty years. The country's history has taken a long journey from poverty to prosperity, from liberation wars to peace , from the ruins of cities and villages to magnificent metropolises and vast countryside. But in those 50 years, no one has made it past the second round of the prestigious music competition like Ngo Van Thanh. His name, Ngo Van Thanh, was known from the time of national leaders such as Nguyen Van Thuong, Hoang Minh Giam, Ta Quang Buu, Le Duan... with a far-sighted vision for culture and a desire for a future of a nation with many truly talented people… At a reception for two young students, Ngo Van Thanh and Ton Nu Nguyet Minh, in Moscow (Ngo Van Thanh was just over 20 years old at the time), General Secretary Le Duan affectionately said: "Our country has a unique traditional music (vong co, cai luong - editor's note), but it leans towards sad emotions. We must learn and conquer even the world's classic authors and works, rich in positive energy. I rely heavily on talents like you…" At that time, Ngo Van Thanh and Ton Nu Nguyet Minh (piano) were studying in Russia…

The reason he was retained to study in Russia started with the Russian professors. They saw great potential in student Ngo Van Thanh's piano playing and wanted to train him to become even more accomplished. In Vietnam, when composer Nguyen Van Thuong, the principal, sent his student to the competition, he only hoped that Vietnamese people could plant the Vietnamese flag on the international stage of classical music. Not only was the flag planted, but the student was also retained – something they hadn't anticipated. This forced Minister Hoang Minh Giam (Ministry of Culture), the General Secretary of the Musicians' Association - composer Do Nhuan, Professor Ta Quang Buu (Ministry of Higher Education), and Principal Nguyen Van Thuong to consult, discuss, and seek opinions from higher authorities…

Eventually, both students were allowed to stay and study. Living up to the expectations of the leaders, Ngo Van Thanh studied diligently for eight years at the prestigious Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Ngo Van Thanh at the Concour competition in Russia

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He was born in 1951 on Ly Quoc Su Street, Hanoi. He wasn't from a family of musicians; his father was a fabric dyer. While called a craftsman, a fabric dyer is more like an artist in terms of materials and colors, creating unique fabrics. This fabric dyer was passionate about music. He accepted that since he wasn't a musician himself, he would let his children pursue their musical dreams. His children studied the zither (dan tranh). Ngo Van Thanh's older sister is Master Ngo Bich Vuong, Head of the Traditional Musical Instruments Department at the Vietnam National Academy of Music. Ngo Van Thanh also studied the zither but later added the violin. By chance, he met the talented teacher Chu Bao Khau. This artist of Chinese descent believed in his student's innate talent and intelligence, and wholeheartedly taught him.

Enthralled by his musical talent, one day Mr. Dzoãn Mẫn passed by and, upon hearing the 7-year-old boy's playing, advised the boy's father that if he wanted his son's talent to develop, he should enroll him in a music school. Although he studied zither at the music school, after learning from teacher Chu Bảo Khẩu, Ngô Văn Thành went on to study at the intermediate level at the Vietnam School of Music (now the Vietnam National Academy of Music). The more he studied, the more passionate he became.

When Ngo Van Thanh continued his university studies, Professor-Meritorious Artist Bich Ngoc (husband of People's Artist Tra Giang), a renowned violinist and pedagogical expert, discovered the young student's potential and directly mentored him. During his time in the Soviet Union preparing for the competition, Ngo Van Thanh also received direct training from Professor and Honored Artist of the Soviet Union, Igor Bezrodny. At the Tchaikovsky International Music Competition held in June 1974, Vietnam sent two young artists, Ngo Van Thanh and Ton Nu Nguyet Minh, to participate. Both won Certificates of Merit in the second round of the competition.

He graduated from the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 1979, and then in 1982 completed his postgraduate studies in violin performance under the tutelage of artist Igor Bezrodny. In 1982, Ngo Van Thanh graduated with a postgraduate degree in violin performance from the class of Professor-People's Artist Igor Bezrodny.

He also successfully defended his doctoral thesis in Music Arts at the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts with the topic: "The Formation and Development of Violin Art in Vietnam". This thesis has been published as a book by Tri Thuc Publishing House.

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When he was young, Ngo Van Thanh performed many times. Sometimes in Hanoi, sometimes in Ho Chi Minh City, sometimes in prestigious theaters in Japan and France… but then he became more preoccupied with training. In every field, he was passionate, wholeheartedly dedicated, and considered it a sacred mission entrusted to him by Heaven and Earth. His students include famous violinists such as Meritorious Artist Ngo Hoang Linh, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Cong Thang, Meritorious Artist Pham Truong Son, Meritorious Artist Phan Thi To Trinh, Do Xuan Thang, and younger generations such as Tran Quang Duy, Nguyen Huyen Anh, Do Phuong Nhi...

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Visiting him at his apartment on the 20th floor of building 249A Thuy Khe (Hanoi), I met his wife, Ms. Lam Xuan Thanh, a lecturer at the Hanoi University of Technology, Associate Professor and Distinguished Teacher. They studied together in Moscow and got married... Their two daughters are currently working abroad and also admire their parents, and are fascinated by their father's piano playing...

Ngo Van Thanh showed me the Certificate of Merit he had received from a prestigious competition some time ago. The certificate, though weathered by time, still clearly displayed the handwriting of the 25 judges, world-renowned violin masters such as David Oistrakh, Leonid Kogan, and Igor Bezrodny…

Although he retired from management in 2016, Ngo Van Thanh has continued to contribute to the country's music scene.

Fifty years of journey – a dream. Ngo Van Thanh has fulfilled his own aspirations and those of those who placed their hopes in him through his tireless efforts. We wish Professor, Doctor, and People's Artist Ngo Van Thanh abundant energy to continue his path of excellence in music and contribute to the training of talent in our country.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/giao-su-tien-si-nsnd-ngo-van-thanh-50-nam-nhung-chang-duong-mot-giac-mo-lon-20240524143022174.htm