A Vietnam-Austria friendship concert will be held at the Ho Chi Minh City Music Academy on November 13 and at the Hanoi Opera House on November 15 as part of activities to mark the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties.

The audiences will have a chance to enjoy performances by Gregor Siedl from Austria and Vietnamese artists, namely Cao Thanh Lan, Nguyen Kim Oanh and Lu Manh Cuong, said the Department of Performing Arts on November 8.

The artists will perform “Phuong troi thu nam” (fifth cardinal direction), reflecting an introspective journey to the inner self and its transformations during a person’s life.

Gregor Siedl and Cao Thanh Lan have a background in contemporary European music. At the same time, they have great interest and appreciation for fork music, especially vocal music of ethnic minorities in northern mountainous region such as Dao, Hmong and Lolo.

Lan has strong classical and contemporary music background. She has won many domestic and international musical awards. Meanwhile, Siedl is a jazz musician with roots in improvised and experimental music.

Their common ground is free improvisation with vigorous use of extended techniques and new forms of expression.-VNA