Woodwinds: Japanese conductor Hirota Tomoyuki will lead Bassoonist Van Thanh Ha in two nights of concerts. — File Photo

HA NOI — Bassoonist Van Thanh Ha will perform recitals tonight and tomorrow night at the Workers Theatre, featuring material from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Ferdinand David's Concerto for Bassoon.

"The Concerto for Bassoon is very interesting but it is rarely performed because the two-movement concerto is short for a solo performance," Ha said.

Ha studied bassoon at Viet Nam National Academy of Music, where he graduated in 2007. He was a member of the Southeast Asia Youth Orchestra in 2003, 2005 and 2006, and his quartet earned the first prize at the ASEAN Symphonic Band Contest in Thailand in 2005.

He has also participated in an ensemble masterclass with Prof Asger Sevendsen in Sweden and has performed in the US, Japan and Norway. Since 2008, he has been a bassoonist with the Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra.

Ha will perform as soloist for the first time under the baton of conductor Hirota Tomoyuki, who is also an oboe master. Tomoyuki has been principal oboe of the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra since 2006 and is the training executive of the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tomoyuki has given solo recitals at celebrated halls throughout Japan. As a soloist, he has appeared with foreign orchestras such as the La Scala String Orchestra in Milan, the Czech Chamber Soloists, the Salzburg Chamber Orchestra and many others. Tomoyuki has been a jury member at such major competitions as the Music Competition of Japan and Japan Wind and Percussion Competition.

The concert will kick off at 8pm at 42 Trang Tien Street. Tickets will cost VND200,000/300,000/400,000. — VNS