Hà Nội Brass will perform to kick off the Việt Nam Classical Music Festival on March 10. — Photo courtesy of Hà Nội Brass

The festival-goers will be treated to musical performances by Vietnamese and international artists along with music workshops and a painting exhibition.

A live concert performed by musicians from the Hà Nội and Đà Lạt brass communities will kick off the festival on March 10 at Lâm Đồng Youth Centre from 10am to 11am.

At the same day of the festival, a painting exhibition by late artist Nguyễn Tư Nghiêm will open at Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa displaying a collection of 12 zodiac signs. This is the first time that the city dwellers of Đà Lạt will have chance to enjoy these paintings.

Nghiêm (1922-2016) is considered to be one of the four most influential painters in 20th-century Việt Nam. He was renowned for his experimentation with new materials in lacquer painting and his success with oil paintings, pastels, and watercolours.

Pianist Trần Lê Bảo Quyên and violinist Trần Lê Quang Tiến will perform as a part of the exhibition opening. A talk with exhibition curator Nguyễn Như Huy will take place on March 13.

Artists from the Kosmos Opera group will perform excerpts from Mozart's most popular opera The Magic Flute on the evening of the festival's opening day. It promises to be a remarkable highlight for the event series.

VCMF will gather Vietnamese and international artists and music troupes to perform together at the festival, including the Sông Hồng Ensemble, Schubert in a Mug, and pianists Nguyễn Đức Anh, Taiwan's Liao Hsin-Chiao and German Tim Allhoff.

The Sông Hồng Ensemble will perform on March 11 and feature Vietnamese popular trio violinist Phạm Trường Sơn, cellist Đào Tuyết Trinh and pianist Phạm Quỳnh Trang. The ensemble will present colourful classical music pieces with exquisite performing techniques.

Pianist and composer Allhoff will conduct a workshop on the topics of art and creativity, promising to bring valuable insights to participants. The workshop will be held on March 16 from 3pm-4pm.

Other workshops will be conducted by experts and musicians to introduce and discuss the local and international background of classical music. The String Ensemble Workshop & Masterclass will offer participants an opportunity to perform at the end of the course and showcase their new skills alongside established artists.

A grand final concert will be performed by the participating artists along with artists from the Việt Nam National Symphony Orchestra and Việt Nam Youth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Phan Đỗ Phúc at Đà Lạt Opera House.

Đà Lạt was recognised as a UNESCO Creative Music City last October. The VCMF organisation in Đà Lạt will promote the city's actions to preserve and develop different music genres.

The city commits to fulfilling its responsibilities when joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, according to Đặng Quang Tú, chairman of the city People's Committee. — VNS