First Vietnamese singer makes Universal Music debut

Young Vietnamese singer Hai Chau on June 17 debuted her single “Out of control” – a joint product between Chau and Universal Music.

The 21-year-old girl from Danang city signed a contract with the largest American music corporation Universal Music Group (UMG) late last year after winning the "The Winner Is" contest in Vietnam last August.

Her debut single “Out of control” was composed by songwriter Duong Khac Linh, singer Hai Chau and her manager - Joshua.

Hai Chau is the first Vietnamese singer signing a contract with the UMG.

Mélissa Laveauxi to perform in Hanoi

Montreal-born, Ottawa-raised, and now France-residing singer Mélissa Laveauxi is set to enthral audiences with a pop-rock concert at the French Cultural Centre L'Espace on June 26.

At the event, she will perform a series of hits that made her a household name around the globe.

Born in 1985, Mélissa Laveauxi grew up in Canada. She moved to France shortly before the release her first album Camphor & Copper. In February 2013, she continued to solidify herself as a superstar with the release of her second album entitled Dying Is a Wild Night.

She is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist who plays music described as a mix of roots, folk, and blues using her signature percussive finger-style guitar and soulful vocal stylings.

She has performed at jazz and popular music festivals throughout the world including Montreal International Jazz Festival (2007), Festival du Bout du Monde (2008), Les Francofolies de La Rochelle (2009), and Sakifo Musik Festival (2009).

Photo of focused gymnast strikes gold

A monochrome picture of an athlete entitled Khoanh Khac (The Moment) by Hoang Hai Thinh has won the gold prize at a photo contest launched by the Photographic Artists Associations of Ha Noi and Viet Nam.

The photo captured the gymnast performing with her eyes focused on the ball, said Dang Dinh An, chairman of the Ha Noi Photographic Artists Association

An exhibition of 128 photos selected from competition entries opened yesterday with the theme Beauty of Ha Noi Culture.

The photos express the beauty of the capital through culture, sports and tourism. They also depict local people going about their daily lives.

The one-week exhibition will be open to the public at Exhibition House, 93 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Ha Noi.

Culture Days showcase Vietnam traditions in Russia

The Vietnamese Culture Days event will take place in Russia from June 24 to July 2, according to a recent decision made by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The Vietnamese Culture Days in Russia in 2014 will feature art and other activities, such as performances of traditional and modern music, and traditional martial arts; a fashion show; an exhibition of lacquer paintings; workshops on Vietnam – Russia co-operation in culture and art; and programmes to promote Vietnam's tourism there. The event also showcases six typical works of Vietnamese cinematography.

The activity is expected to help the Russian people learn more about and feel closer to Viet Nam and its people, strengthening the mutual understanding among people of both the countries as well as accelerating co-operation in culture and tourism.

An official press conference on the event will be held tomorrow at the headquarters of the ITAR-TASS news agency in Moscow in the presence of Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia, Pham Xuan Son.

Hanoi exhibition on Vietnam’s sovereignty over sea and islands

A Fine art exhibition themed “Vietnam’s sovereignty over sea and islands” opened in Hanoi on June 18.

The event showcases artworks from 50 Vietnamese painters and sculptors namely Thanh Chuong, Dang Xuan Hoa, Dinh Quan, Pham Luan, Le Thiet Cuong, Dao Hai Phong, Le Tri Dung and Hoang Phuong Vy.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien said, in solidarity with people nationwide painters and sculptors have strongly opposed China’s illegal placement of its oil rig HaiyangShiyou–981 in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

The latest artworks on the East Sea illustrate the opinions of painters, promote the nation’s patriotic tradition and reflect the determination to protect the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The exhibition is of great significance in conveying a message of patriotic spirit to people nationwide and to international friends who love peace. It also affirms the national unity and strength of Vietnamese people and the country’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.

The event will run until the end of June.

Street dancers to kick sand in Da Nang

Amateur and professional dancers will perform a street dance programme at the East Sea Park tomorrow evening as a part of the central city's summer holiday promotion week.

Performers from the New Life club would display some of their best dances including classic and modern as well as exciting hiphop and a flash mob from 6.30 to 7.30pm, said the club's chairman, Huynh Minh Luan.

It's the first time a dance programme has been held on My Khe beach, one of the most beautiful and tranquil beaches in the city.

Mali musician presents world music nite

A special concert to celebrate World Music Night will be held on Saturday at the Pullman Hanoi Hotel, featuring musician Musbaba Traore from Mali.

Musbaba is a composer and singer, with a style that could be defined as afro-pop-bambana, melting traditional Malian sounds with world music trends. He plays all sort of percussion instruments and a traditional string instrument called the n'goni. The artist is currently based in Ha Noi and has been working on Mali-Vietnam fusion. He has integrated a traditional Vietnamese instrument (dan tranh) in his musical compositions, the result being a harmonious fusion of hot West African vibes and melodic Asian sounds. African dance performances are also part of the show, creating a synergy between the artists and their audience.

The free concert will take place on the second floor, Pullman Hanoi Hotel, 40 Cat Linh Street, from 8-10pm.

Guitar drumming concert at Heritage Space

You are invited to the Percussive Fingerstyle Concert with strong, funky and youthful melodies, which reveal the spirit and ambition of youth.

Performed by young guitarist Tung AG and other members of the Vietnam Fingerstyle Guitar Organisation, the concert held on the second Saturday of every month with different themes and styles, will bring together different feelings and satisfy multiple tastes in music.

The percussive fingerstyle guitar incorporates sharp attacks on the strings with hitting the strings and guitar with the hand for a percussive effect. Althoughquite popular around the world, it was only introduced to Viet Nam some years back.

The concert will take place at Heritage Space, Dolphin Plaza, 17 Tran Binh Street, My Dinh, on Saturday at 8pm.   

Fete de la Musique replicated in Ha Noi

The French-infused Fete de la Musique – a popular street music festival which was launched in France in 1982 to celebrate the Summer Solstice and has spread across the globe to become an international phenomenon – will be replicated at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi on Saturday.

The luxury hotel will host an evening featuring a special Brazilian-themed party and a fashion show introducing new summer collections from Double Dose and Chula at the hotel's poolside.

French DJ GiMix, who has been influenced by many electronic musical movements, will also be there to take festival goers on a melodic tour of musical genres.

The event will start at 5pm.

Group show celebrates gallery's 5th year

The Craig Thomas Gallery will organise a group exhibition featuring painting, sculpture and installation by 14 Vietnamese artists to celebrate its fifth anniversary.

The Coming of Age exhibition presents works by young artists like Ngo Van Sac, Bui Thanh Tam and Nguyen The Hung.

The exhibition will open from June 19 to July 18. The gallery is at 27i Tran Nhat Duat Street in District 1.

11 bands to perform at ‘Hardcore United'

Eleven local rock bands will perform in a massive rock festival called "Hardcore United" at 3A Station on Saturday.

The bands include Cat Pylon, Loser Of Generation, December, Epione and In Your Eyes. There will also be stalls selling unique items, food and drinks.

All proceeds from the event will help disadvantaged children and the elderly. The festival will start from 4pm at 3 Ton Duc Thang Street in District 1.

Skateboarding Day at Saigon Outcast

The outdoor bar Saigon Outcast will host Skateboarding Day on Saturday to celebrate Go Skateboarding Day, an official annual holiday conceived by the International Association of Skateboard Companies to promote skateboarding.

The event will offer a mini-ramp contest for professional and amateur players, best street tricks and games of skate.

It will take place from 3 – 10pm at 188/1 Nguyen Van Huong Street in District 2, with free entrance.

Montreal singer to perform in HCM City

Montreal singer Melissa Laveaux, whose style combines folk and indie pop, will perform at IDECAF in HCM City on June 28.

Born to Haitian parents in Montreal, Laveaux moved to France six years ago when she signed to No Format, and in 2008 released her debut album Camphor and Copper.

Her new album Dying Is A Wild Night gives an intimate insight into her difficult first few years in Europe. The title is borrowed from American poet Emily Dickinson, who wrote in a letter that "dying is a wild night and a new road."

The show begins on 8pm at IDECAF, 28 Le Thanh Ton St., District 1.

Artists assert VN sovereignty, desire for peace

It's been a while since veteran artists presented their work at the Fine Arts and Photography Centre in Hang Bai Street, said artist Doan Thu Huong at the opening of a fine-arts' show yesterday.

The exhibition displays works by 50 artists and sculptors on Viet Nam's sea and island possessions. They include such well known people as Thanh Chuong, Dao Hai Phong, Le Tri Dung, Dinh Quan, Pham Luan and Le Thiet Cuong.

"Vietnamese love the peaceful life because they have experienced so much war. Sea and islands are not unique subjects for me, but my paintings on the East Sea are a milestone in my career," said Thanh Chuong.

"I use art as a language to present ships in the East Sea protecting our sovereignty from Chinese invasion - and the determination of Vietnamese to protect it," Chuong said.

Both of Chuong's paintings Bien Dong 2014 (East Sea 2014) and Noi Nuoc Sach Bien Xanh (Where the Water Is Clear and the Sea Is Blue) are highly artistic.

The oil-painting Where the Water is Clear and the Sea is Blue made strong impression on visitor Le Huu Hieu. "I like the painting because I see the concerns of the artist," said Hieu, an architecture.

Together with people nationwide, the artists express their attitudes to China's blatant incursion on Vietnamese territory.

The painting Troi Yen Bien Lang (Quiet Sky - Calm Sea) by Le Thiet Cuong was completed a week ago. In pastel colours, it was inspired by a Vietnamese idiom that expresses a desire for a peaceful life, said Cuong.

"It is a chance for leading artists to show their patriotism. In my case, it was accidental. I was already involved in painting my work about the sea when I was invited to take part in the exhibition," he said.

According to artist Thu Huong, deputy-head of the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibitions, the show is also an opportunity for artists to contribute to the campaign confirming Viet Nam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.

Just back from the Truong Sa, Huong displays her latest painting at the exhibition. She painted the work entitled Luy Thep (Steel Bastion) during a recent trip to Truong Sa Lon.

"Truong Sa Lon inspires me about the well-known battle on the Bach Dang River led by Ngo Quyen in 1288 which knocked out the Chinese invaders," Huong said.

The exhibition will run until June 24.