VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese-French contemporary classical music composer Nguyen Thien Dao passed away in Paris at 11pm on November 20 (local time). He was 75.

Ha Noi native: Contemporary classical music composer Nguyen Thien Dao died on Friday in Paris after a battle with liver cancer. — Photo phununews.vn

Nguyen Thien Dao, was diagnosed with liver cancer in October, Dan Tri online newspaper reported.

Born in July, 1940 in Ha Noi, Nguyen Thien Dao, who was also known as Nguyen Thien Dao, moved to France at the age of 13 under the auspices of Paul Levy – former director of the French Academy of the Far East (EFEO), and later entered the National Conservatory of Music in Paris in 1963.

He returned to Viet Nam on numerous occasions to stage various big musicals.

In 1995, he was granted the Gian Carlo Menotti award. In 2005, he was given the Vinh Danh Nuoc Viet award, which praises Vietnamese overseas, hosted by online newspaper VietNamNet for his contributions to the homeland.

He was also named in the famous France's Le petit Larousse and Le Petit Robert dictionaries in 1982 and 1995 respectively.

He worked in the field of contemporary classical music and did research on Vietnamese traditional music.

More than 80 of his works in a variety of kinds including solo, symphony, and opera were performed in many countries.

His music focussed on praising people, fighting for noble living ideals towards a fair and civilised society as well as a peaceful world.

Moreover, he did not only research, but also put his heart into promoting Vietnamese traditional music.

He often had talks on folk music with students from music institutes as well as young people every time he returned to Viet Nam.

His best works include Thanh Dong To Quoc (1967), Tuyen Lua (1969), Ba Me Viet Nam (1972), and the symphony Song Nhat Nguyen (2000), apart from the opera ballet Truyen Kieu (2012).

According to music researcher Nguyen Quang Long, Dao influenced many talented composers in Viet Nam through his lectures at the National Music Academy like Tran Manh Hung, Giang Son and Dang Tue Nguyen.

"He often gave grants to talented students in the past," Long wrote to Thanh Nien newspaper, "Though the grants were small, they greatly encouraged students in their career."

VNS