HÀ NỘI — The enduring melodies of composer Huy Du will be brought to life through a combination of orchestral music and modern technology to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of Việt Nam’s leading composers of revolutionary music.

The special tribute concert, titled 100 Năm Nhạc Sĩ Huy Du - Đường Chúng Ta Đi (100 Years of Composer Huy Du: The Path We Tread), will take place over two nights on December 11 and 12 at the Grand Concert Hall of the Vietnam National Academy of Music. The event will be broadcast live on VTV Go and rebroadcast on VTV1.

At the press conference, composer Đức Trịnh, chairman of the Vietnam Musicians’ Association, said: "Composer Huy Du (1926-2007) dedicated his entire life to music. This centenary celebration is an opportunity for the public to look back at an invaluable musical heritage that continues to resonate across generations."

Musical legacy

The concert is jointly organised by the Vietnam Musicians' Association, the late composer's family and VDONE Social Network.

The organisers said the collaboration is in line with the Politburo’s Resolution 57, which stresses the importance of digital transformation and cooperation in preserving and promoting Việt Nam's cultural heritage.

Rather than following a traditional chronological biography, the concert will let the music tell the story. The show is structured into three thematic chapters, each  featuring works by the late composer associated with different artistic moods and periods in the country's history.

The opening chapter, Khúc Tự Sự Của Đất Và Nước (Monologue of Land and Water), will feature works including Ba Vì Năm Xưa (Ba Vì in the Past), Kể Chuyện Sông Hồng (Tales of the Red River) and Miền Nam Quê Hương Ta Ơi (The South, Our Beloved Homeland).

The second chapter, Rực Lửa Trường Sơn (Blazing Trường Sơn Mountains), will focus on wartime songs including Anh Vẫn Hành Quân (You Are Still Marching), Cùng Anh Tiến Quân Trên Đường Dài (Marching with You on the Long Road), Tình Em (My Love), Đêm Trường Sơn (Trường Sơn Night), Nổi Lửa Lên Em (Light Up the Fire, My Dear), Bài Ca Về Đường Chín (The Song of Route 9) and Trên Đỉnh Trường Sơn Ta Hát (Singing on the Peak of Trường Sơn).

The journey then moves into a peaceful and optimistic era with the final chapter, Khát Vọng Mùa Xuân (Aspirations of Spring), featuring the romantic melodies of Chiều Không Em (Afternoon Without You) and Việt Nam Ơi Mùa Xuân Đến Rồi (Oh Việt Nam, Spring Has Arrived).

The concert will conclude with a finale titled Di Sản Một Thế Kỷ (A Century of Heritage), featuring an ensemble performance of Việt Nam Trên Đường Chúng Ta Đi – a timeless piece set to a poem by Xuân Sách.

Modern staging

Nguyễn Huy Phương, director of the Vietnam National Academy of Music and son of composer Huy Du, said that the chosen works span his father's entire career. The works will be given new arrangements combining a symphony orchestra and choir with contemporary pop and rock elements.

"In alignment with the cultural development goals of Resolution 57, we are creating an immersive multimedia space," a representative of the organising committee said. "The concert will blend music, lighting and dance with advanced staging technology, including 3D LED systems and custom visual projections."

These digital elements will transport the audience through changing visual landscapes – from rustic northern rivers to the dense jungles of the Trường Sơn mountain trail, and finally into the bright light of a modern Vietnamese spring. — VNS