VietNamNet Bridge - A solo recital by Gabriel Tran Phuong Nam, a 21-year-old pianist from the National Superior Conservatory of Paris for Music and Dance (CNSMD), will be held at 8pm tonight at the Sofitel Sai Gon Plaza in HCM City's District 1.

The programme is organised with the support of the Consulate General of France in HCM City, and sponsored by the Sofitel Sai Gon Plaza, the Groupama insurance company and Air France.

Nam will perform classical pieces by well-known composers including Bach, Beethoven, Debussy, Kurtag and Liszt.

This is the second recital given by Nam in Viet Nam, the first one being held at the HCM City Conservatory last year.

Nam raised around US$2,069 towards funding a medical aid station in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum with his recital at Missions Etrangeres de Paris in April this year.

The young Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) pianist, who was born and raised in Noisy-le-Sec town on the outskirts of Paris, comes from a family with a long musical tradition. His grandfather plays the violin and his father plays piano at a local church.

Nam began studying piano at the age of six with Jacqueline Pouillard at the Noisy Le Sec Municipal Conservatory. He continued his study of music at Conservatoire a Rayonnement Regional de Paris under Billy Eidi.

In 2006, he was granted his Musical Studies Diploma (DEM) and in 2009 graduated with distinction from the Superior Level (DEMS). The same year, he was admitted, through a competitive examination, to the CNSMD, where he is studying under Bruno Rigutto and Horetense Cartier-Bresson. Nam is now a third-year student at CNSMD.

He performed successfully the piece Jeux d'Eau by Maurice Ravel when he was 13 years old, and has won many international awards.

He was selected Laureate at the XIV and XVI Steinway&Sons competitions (2002 and 2004); and unanimously selected first at the Claude Kahn International Competition (2003, superior level); Sucy-en-Brie National Competition (2005, superior level); and the Lagny-sur-Marne International Competition (2009, excellent level).

In 2008, Nam performed together with the Jeune Philarmonie de Seine Saint-Denis orchestra (Theatre des Bergeries, 2008) and took part in Master Class, a performance about Debussy and Chaplin.

He also participated in a Young Talents Concert at the Sucy-en-Brie in May 2009.

This February, for the third time, he performed at the Tet (Lunar New Year) Concert held at UNESCO Paris.

Source: VNS