2023 Things Everlasting Concert, organized by VietNamNet in cooperation with IBgroup under the direction of the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), will take place at 2 pm on the National Day (September 2, 2023) at the Hanoi Opera House.

At a meeting with the media on August 24, VietNamNet Editor-in-Chief Nguyen Van Ba expressed his respect to three former Editor-in-Chiefs of the newspaper – Nguyen Anh Tuan, Bui Sy Hoa and Pham Anh Tuan -- as well as sponsors, who have maintained the concert and organized the event in the afternoon of every September 2, a great date in Vietnamese history.

And the concert is once again being organized this year. Bearing the soul and the spirit of the Vietnamese music treasure, the concert will have several innovations that will bring it closer to the public.

The 2023 Things Everlasting will for the first time have Music Director Tran Manh Hung, Conductor Dong Quang Vinh and IBGroup as the co-producers, according to Ba.

With the 2023 Things Everlasting, musician Tran Manh Hung will not only do the editing, but also the music arrangement and orchestration for all artistic works. This will help create consistency in the musical script.

The team of producers discussed the plan thoroughly before deciding to invite Vinh to work as the conductor at the event.

“After learning about Dong Quang Vinh, I found his style and personality quite interesting. When I shared my opinions with the team, other members agreed with me,” Ba said. 

“Moreover, Vinh was trained in China, a country with strength in national music, which is very suitable to the special feature of this year's concert - bringing national music into the symphony," he said.

While recognizing the great contribution of Conductor Le Phi Phi to the previous concerts as a ‘monument of Things Everlasting’ over many years, VietNamNet also wishes to introduce new talented musicians and conductors. And the invitation of Vinh is a reasonable choice.

As a familiar name for Things Everlasting, Meritorious Artist Trinh Tung Linh, Director of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, said he had felt something missing as the concert could not be organized in the last two years because of the pandemic.

“In the years when the concert was not organized, I felt the heartbeat every August-September,” Linh said. Concerts at 2 pm are special because the orchestra usually plays in the evening.

Linh said unlike many other music programs, Things Everlasting is a favorite of large audiences. His mobile phone rings constantly in the days just before National Day. The callers are people who want to ask Linh for tickets to attend the concert. Many people look forward to the concert eagerly.

At the press conference, Conductor Dong Quang Vinh received many questions about whether he felt pressure becoming the successor of the famous Conductor Le Phi Phi. Vinh said he felt he can do well, do his best, and show his specific character at Things Everlasting.

“During the preparation, we have to immerse ourselves in the art pieces. We have to do it in a way that the audience will feel the soul of the art works. I become so concentrated on performing that I nearly forget who I am,” he said. 

In addition to famous artistic works which have existed through the years, such as Bong cay Ko Nia – The shadows of Ko Nia tree (Phan Huynh Dieu), Ao mua dong – Winter Coat (Do Nhuan), Giai dieu To quoc - Melodies of the Fatherland (Tran Tien) and Dan chim Viet – Vietnamese Birds (Van Cao), this year’s Things Everlasting will introduce new songs favored by young people, such as My Kool Vietnam (Thanh Bui) and Nhung Trai Tim Vietnam - Vietnamese hearts (Phuong Uyen).

The 2023 Things Everlasting brings together famous singers of classical chamber music such as Meritorious Artist Dang Duong, Pham Thu Ha, Do To Hoa, Pham Khanh Ngoc and Dao Mac. Singer Tung Duong and Oplus band will also perform to create a diversity of vocal colors.

The performance of the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra and Kosmos Opera Choir, the presence of Meritorious Artist Le Giang, a soloist on lute, jazz saxophonist An Tran, and drummer Truong Thi Thu Ha will also help create a music space that is luxurious and both modern and traditional.

VietNamNet