Chopin's 200th birthday at the Hanoi Opera House tonight with a
performance of the Polish composer's Concerto for Piano No 1, Opus 11 by
soloist Luu Hong Quang, 20.
The concerto for piano
was written in 1830 and first performed in Warsaw on October 11 of
that year by the composer himself during one of his numerous "farewell"
concerts.
The concerto – in three movements – is scored for solo piano with flutes, oboes and clarinets.
Quang has proved himself an exceptional young pianist with a series of international prizes.
He became a close friend of his family's piano at age five and was
tutored by his dad, accordionist and jazz expert Luu Quang Minh of
Hanoi .
His talent developed at the Vietnam
National Academy of Music in 1996-2006, and drew attention from the
music circles within his native country and beyond.
The pianist's technique and sensibilities won him a special prize at the
Asia Chopin international piano competition, Tokyo, in 2006, and a
second prize at the Valtidone international piano competition, Italy,
in 2008.
Quang accepted a full scholarship at the
Australian International Conservatorium of Music in November 2006 where
his prowess as a pianist grew strongly under the tutelage of esteemed
professor Kyunghee Lee.
He has joined various ensembles in Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Italy, and Serbia.
Chopin (1810-49), one of the great masters of Romantic music, was born
in Zelazowa Wola, a village in the Duchy of Warsaw. A renowned
child-prodigy pianist and composer, he grew up in Warsaw and
completed his musical education there.
All of
Chopin's works involve the piano. They are technically demanding but
emphasise nuance and expressive depth. He invented the musical form
known as the instrumental ballad and made major innovations to the piano
sonata, mazurka and waltz.
Japanese conductor
Tetsuji Honna will run the show which will also feature Symphony No 6,
op 74 by Tchaikovsky in the second half.
The concert will kick off at 8pm tonight and tomorrow./.
