The 2024 Dieu Con Mai Concert, which will celebrate these momentous historic events, will be very special this year. 

The masterpieces to be introduced at the 2024 Dieu Con Mai (Things Everlasting) Concert will show intense and profound love for the homeland, pride in the resounding victories in the nation's resistance wars and the great achievements of the renovation period. These will be seen through the majestic and lyrical melodies of many generations of Vietnamese musicians, helping the audiences recall the heroic and arduous years of the nation as well as discover the beauty of the Vietnamese soul.

Musician Tran Manh Hung, who has accepted the invitation to be the music director of the concert, said he has had two sleepless months to think about the overall idea of the concert, edit the program and work on sheet music.

“The problem VietNamNet has posed for me is quite colossal. I have never before done such a large program. With the theme encapsulated in three simple words ‘national army’, ‘victory’ and ‘Hanoi people’, I have had to edit the songs to create a story about the nation’s development, from the day Uncle Ho read the Declaration of Independence, to the day the army left for the Northwest and Dien Bien and the soldiers’ sacrifice in exchange for the resounding Dien Bien Victory, to the day of the liberation of the capital city and the things that have created the Vietnamese army’s strength since then."

In addition to masterpieces such as Hanh Quan Xa by Do Nhuan, Bai Ca Tren Nui by Nguyen Van Thuong, Ho Keo Phao by Hoang Van, Be Van Dan Song Mai by Huy Du and Trinh Duong, Qua Mien Tay Bac – Chien Thang Dien Bien by Nguyen Thanh and Do Nhuan, Tinh Ca Tay Bac by Mai Duc Hanh, The Ballad of Ho Chi Minh by Ewan MacColl (Vietnamese lyrics by Phu An), Tien Buoc Duoi Quan Ky by Doan Nho and Vietnam Que Huong Toi by Do Nhuan, the 2024 concert will introduce other favorite songs about Hanoi, such as Se Ve Thu Do by Huy Du, Tien Ve Hanoi by Van Cao and Nguoi Hanoi by Nguyen Dinh Thi.

The other special feature of the 2024 Dieu Con Mai Concert is the presence and performance of the Sun Symphony Orchestra and French conductor Olivier Ochanine. He surpassed nearly 120 conductors from 23 countries and won first prize at the Antal Dorati International Conducting Competition in Budapest, Hungary (2015), the prestigious music award The American Prize (2015), and second prize at the International Symphony Orchestra Conducting Competition in London, UK (2015).

Hung said the participation of the Sun Symphony Orchestra creates excitement to artists, but also puts pressure on them, because they will have to be more careful and more serious in their work.

“The Sun Symphony Orchestra are used to working with international artists and they set very high professional requirements. Therefore, I have to spend much time to discuss and monitor individuals’ practices with the choir, the band and each artist before setting to music."

At the 2023 concert, the performance of saxophonist An Tran and the Oplus band was a big surprise to the audiences. This year, in addition to young talents, the concert will also see the first appearance of the Ao Linh Band (Soldiers' Uniform) with five young artists in the army, namely Nguyen The Anh from Army Theater, Lai Duc Tuan  from Air Defense and Air Force Art Troupe, Nguyen Ngoc Linh from Army Theater, Vu Ha Son from Army Theater and Nguyen Huu Hoang Son from Military University of Culture and Arts.

Hung believes that with the theme honoring the great victories of the Vietnam People’s Army, the presence of army singers was indispensable. The concert will include performances by Meritorious Artist Vu Thang Loi from Military Region 2 Art Troupe of the Vietnam People's Army and Ao Linh Band. 

''Bearing strong military discipline, the artists will perform in a special style. The two performances Hanh Quan Xa and Tien Buoc Duoi Quan Ky by Ao Linh Band will be very impressive,” Hung said.

Trong Tan, a famous singer, has confirmed he will perform at the 2024 concert after his absence at the concerts in previous years.

In addition to the participation of Meritorious Artist Pham Khanh Ngoc, singer Phuc Tiep, a new face, will appear for the first time at Dieu Con Mai 2024 - Nguyen Bao Yen (he won Sao Mai 2015 Champion of the Chamber Music category; Second Prize of the Academia International Vocal Competition 2014 in Perm, Russia).

Ha Son