Vietnamese child pianists win prizes in Thailand

Young pianists Dang Thai Vu and Nguyen Ba Duy Anh won two prizes at the 4th Mozart International Piano Competition held in Bangkok, Thailand from July 21-24.

After four days of competition, nine-year-old Dang Thai Vu secured second prize in group D (7-9 age group) while 13-year-old Nguyen Ba Duy Anh won third prize in group B, which included candidates aged between 13 and 17.

The competition’s international jury included four celebrated pianists: Rossitza Banova from Belgium, Juan Pablo Horcasitas from Mexico, Edward Neeman from the US and Stephanie Neeman from Indonesia. The young Vietnamese pianists received significant praise from the jury.

It was the third time the Vietnamese team had competed in the competition. At last year’s event, Quach Hoang Nhi, a nine-year-old Vietnamese girl, won first prize in group D.

Art troupe to perform at Int’l Performing Arts Festival

A 13-member Vietnamese art troupe led by Director Nguyen The Vinh will take centre stage at the International Performing Arts Festival in Pohang city, the Republic of Korea (RoK), from July 29 to August 5.

They will perform the hilariously funny Cai Lao Hoan Dong (Rejuvenation), a short folk drama adapted by Nhat Linh, recounting a poor farmer’s victory over greedy and dishonest rivals thanks to superior intelligence and endearing cunning.

Stage Director Tuan Hai cleverly combines folklore and humorous features to make the story more interesting.

Divided into four sections, the play introduces international audiences to Vietnam’s traditional costumes, as well as folk dance and singing of the northern region.

The drama was voted as the most favourite play at the China-ASEAN Theatre Festival in the Chinese city of Nanning last September.

Monthly show teaches music, dance

Giai Dieu Tre (Young Melodies), a free monthly show to educate the younger generation about music and dance, is being held by the HCM Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera.

Three dance works featuring different styles of Vietnamese choreography will be included.

The show, which aims to help audience learn more about the development of Viet Nam's art of dancing, will take place at the city Opera House at 8pm today.

It will feature an excerpt from the dance Ben Ngoai Canh Cua (Outside the door) of Tran Ly Ly, the dance O Cua So (Window) from People's Artist Ha The Dung, and the ballet Mat Troi Trong Tim (Sun in the Heart) from People's Artists Vu Viet Cuong and Kim Quy.

The works all received the first HCM City Literature and Art Awards 2012 from the HCM City Union of Literature and Arts associations.

Invitations are available at the venue at 7 Lam Son Square, District 1, and the HCM City Student Support Centre at 33 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 1.

Embassy launches Peru essay contest

All Vietnamese citizens living inside the country, especially students, can submit essays on Peru to a contest organised by the Peruvian embassy.

Pieces between 3,000-5,000 words, written in English or Spanish with clear references, should be sent to vietluan@peruembassy.vn before August 22.

Representatives from the embassy and Ministry of Education and Training will mark the pieces according to the writers' understanding of Peru, creativity, language skills and writing capabilities.

The awards ceremony will be organised on September 10. Prizes include a laptop, a tablet and a book collection on Peruvian culture.

Photos display Japanese heritage sites

A photo exhibition that opened in Ha Noi on Saturday gives people a chance to admire Japan's UNESCO world heritage sites.

The World Heritages in Japan collection features images of Shirakami-Sanchi mountain range, Yaku-shima island, Himeji-jo Castle and the Buddhist monuments of the Horyu-ji Temple area as well as other famous tourist spots.

The photos were taken by famous photographer Kazuyoshi Miyoshi, who in 1985 was granted the Kimura Ihei award for his photo book Rakuen (Paradise). At the age of 27, this made him the youngest winner ever.

He has travelled extensively to photograph places all over the world. His photo book The World Heritage in Japan was published in 1998.

Entrance to the exhibition is free. It will run until August 9 at the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange in Viet Nam, 27 Quang Trung Street, from 9am to 6pm every day except Sunday.

Art programme remembers war heroes

An art programme titled “Sacred Vietnam” was broadcast live on VTV1 channel on July 27 to mark the 67th anniversary of Vietnam’s War Invalids and Martyrs Day.

Jointly held by the Labour and Society Newspaper, Vietnam Television (VTV) and Vietnam Event and Communication Company, the programme, the second of its kind, aimed to honour soldiers who had sacrificed their lives for national liberation.

Through stories told by historical witnesses, documentary films and art performances, the event highlighted the unyielding and courageous spirit of Vietnamese people during the fight against foreign invaders.

As part of the programme, organisers presented gifts to ex-youth volunteers and families of fallen soldiers in Do Luong district, central Nghe An province.

On the occasion, a candle lighting ceremony was held in the southern province of An Giang to pay tribute to nearly 4,000 local martyrs.

Local authorities also visited and presented gifts to Vietnamese heroic mothers as well as held a ceremony to rebury the remains of 185 volunteer soldiers who lost their lives in Cambodia during wartime.

Meanwhile, nearly a thousand of Buddhist monks, nuns and followers from the northern mountainous provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Tuyen Quang offered incense to commemorate war heroes.

Exhibition on love for national sea and islands to be held

An exhibition honoring love of the sea and islands, and national pride of Vietnamese people will be held at Ho Chi Minh City Youth’s Cultural House on August 10.

Visitors will have chance to enjoy the images truthfully, reflecting the activities and daily life of fishermen and soldiers those working and protecting the country’s sea and islands.

Photos shot by the well-known photographer Nguyen A with over 20 year experiences will be display at exhibition. Nguyen A has released many photo books such as Ho Da Song Nhu The (They Lived Like That) in 2009 and Tam va Tai, Ho La Ai? (Kindhearted and Talented People: Who Are They?) in 2012.

Annual fundraising concert ‘Hope Symphony’ to open in Hanoi

The annual ‘Hope Symphony’ will be held on July 29 at Hanoi Opera House to raise funds for underprivileged students across the country.

Since it was launched in 2007 by the PetroVietnam Oil Corporation, the event has provided financial support to 650 students nationwide, over 100 of them have now graduated and hold jobs in the oil and gas industry.

This year’s event will bring together artists from the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra and the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera with two guest artists; violinist L. Dobrevska from Macedonia and accordionist A. Nikolic from Serbia.

Under the baton of conductor Le Phi Phi, the artists will delight audiences with symphonic tangoes such as La Cumparsita, Verrano, Adios Nonino and Preparansa.

Tickets are priced at VND500,000, VND700,000 and VND1 million.

The same event will be held at Ho Chi Minh Opera House on August 1.

Fundraising Black and White Jazz Night

On Thursday, August 7 there will be a Jazz performing night at Monsoon Restaurant & Bar Saigon in HCMC’s District 1 aiming to raise funds for Trung tam bao tro khiem thi Anh Sang (Anh Sang Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired). It is a chance for you to immerse yourself in a jazz night held for a good cause!

Anh Sang Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a small organization that provides home and school. It is a community for 28 children aged 3-20 who have vision impairment. The organizer promises that all the proceeds from the ticket sales after the deduction of the expenses will go directly to support the operation of the orphanage as follows:

One-third will be held in emergency fund in case of unforeseen circumstances.

One-third will be for funding academic and career development for the children.

One-third will be for building room, board, and operating other activities for blind children.

Customers are recommended to follow a dress code of black and white to join this special night. Not only a night for customers to enjoy, Black and White Jazz Night is also a great opportunity for people who want to perform.  To participate in and/or perform Jazz, contact Noémie at 01629274568 to register.

For more information about the show, go to http://goo.gl/bf2NKh. Monsoon Restaurant and Bar Saigon is located at 1 Cao Ba Nha, District 1, HCMC.