On the evening of August 29, 2026, amid the solemn and bustling nationwide atmosphere celebrating the 81st Anniversary of National Day (September 2), Hoa Phuong Theater was officially lit up with a special concert entitled "Realms of Sound - Những miền âm thanh". The event, jointly organized by the Vietnam Classical Music Association and the People's Committee of Hai Phong City, not only presented the public of the Port City with a world-class artistic space but also marked the initial strategic milestone in Hai Phong's journey to establish itself as a "City of Music" in the near future.
The program was attended by key leaders of the city: Do Thanh Trung, Chairman of the City People's Committee; Lê Anh Quân, Lê Trung Kiên, and Nguyễn Minh Hùng, Vice Chairmen of the City People's Committee; alongside Dr. Nguyen Van Than, President of the Vietnam Classical Music Association, and a large audience of chamber music enthusiasts.
Performances by artists at the event
The "Realms of Sound" concert brought together five talented young Vietnamese artists who have won numerous prestigious international awards, including Đỗ Hiền An, Ngô Phương Vi, Nguyễn Việt Trung (piano), Hoàng Mạnh Lâm (oboe), and Trần Khánh Quang (clarinet). With their outstanding talent and modern artistic vision, the artists guided the audience through an emotional journey, connecting the diverse cultural spaces of humanity.
Opening the concert, pianist Đỗ Hiền An (Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Miami, USA) evoked the volatile spirit of Slavic folklore through Tchaikovsky’s "Dumka in C minor, Op. 59" and depicted the gentle, floating early summer quietude with "June: Barcarolle (The Boatman's Song)". Following that, the exquisite oboe performance by lecturer Hoàng Mạnh Lâm, beautifully intertwined with Đỗ Hiền An's piano keys in Kalliwoda’s classical chamber piece "Morceau de salon, Op. 228", brought deep and soulful resonance to the theater.
The musical landscape then expanded to embrace the free-spirited rhythm of American urban life through George Gershwin's solo piano masterpiece "Rhapsody in Blue", rendered with sublime virtuosity by Ngô Phương Vi. Immediately after, artist Nguyễn Việt Trung (who is preparing to receive his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami) mesmerized the audience with Chopin’s highly nostalgic Mazurka and Waltz, before closing his solo performance with dazzlingly versatile technique in Franz Liszt’s "La Campanella". The concert culminated in a complete and brilliant finale with Michael Webster’s "Carmen Rhapsody". Orchestrated through the masterful and seamless blend of the trio—Hoàng Mạnh Lâm, Trần Khánh Quang, and Ngô Phương Vi—the performance left an unforgettable, lingering resonance in the hearts of the audience.
Speaking at the concert, Dr. Nguyen Van Than, President of the Vietnam Classical Music Association, asserted that classical music is a cultural heritage of humanity, serving as a foundation to elevate spiritual life, nurture aesthetics, and unleash creative resources for society. He emphasized that this concert is not merely a showcase of entertainment but the starting point for a comprehensive cooperative relationship between the Association and the People's Committee of Hai Phong City in realizing the Master Plan "Developing Hai Phong into a City of Music for the 2026 - 2030 Period, with a Vision to 2045".
This strategic step demonstrates the strong political determination and vision of the local leadership to execute the Resolution of the 1st City Party Committee Congress (2025–2030 term) and concrete the spirit of Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Political Bureau on the development of Vietnamese culture. In particular, this cooperation directly aligns with the profound guidance and wish of General Secretary To Lam: "To ensure that every student, upon graduating, knows how to play at least one musical instrument", which is realized in the master plan with the practical objective of "ensuring that each student has access to and experiences at least one musical instrument".
Through this program, Hai Phong strongly affirms its commitment to developing the spiritual life of its citizens in tandem with sustainable economic growth, transforming culture and art into a driving force to cultivate the character and humanistic lifestyle of the new generation of Port City citizens.
Beyond the lit stages of theaters, the long-term vision of Hai Phong City and its partners is to build a sustainable music ecosystem. In the coming time, the Vietnam Classical Music Association commits to accompanying the city across multiple practical dimensions:
- School Education: Upgrading the professional capacity of music teachers, introducing advanced music pedagogical methods into schools, effectively implementing heritage education programs, and striving to have approximately 70% of junior high school students know how to play at least one musical instrument or possess basic musical skills by 2030.
- Community Movement Development: Stepping up periodic performances in public spaces, central walking streets; supporting and funding at least 130 music and art clubs at communes, wards, special zones, enterprises, and universities to integrate music deeply into the daily lives of the public.
- Elevating the Cultural Industry: Collaborating to organize annual music festivals, art residency programs, and large-scale art events; boosting international linkages to invite world-renowned artists and prestigious orchestras to perform in the Port City.
With outstanding economic growth, well-invested transportation infrastructure, and well-planned cultural institutions, Hai Phong possesses a solid foundation to establish its brand as a "City of Music". The long-term master plan, with an estimated total budget of over 1,257 billion VND for the 2026 - 2030 phase, will serve as a powerful launchpad to help Hai Phong soon complete its portfolio to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of music.
The consensus of the government, artists, and the entire community sparked by the "Realms of Sound" concert will sow sustainable seeds. This will ensure that Hai Phong shines not only as a leading hub of seaports and industry but also as a brilliant, creative, and deeply integrated city of music on the global cultural map.