Angelic tunes: Cello artist Tran Thi Mo will perform in the concert co-organised by the Viet Nam National Symphony and Orchestra and Toyota Motors Viet Nam. — File Photo

HA NOI (VNS) — The Viet Nam National Symphony and Orchestra (VNSO) will bring classical music to the Central Highlands' Dak Lak Province for the first time as part of Toyota Concert Tour 2014.

The performance, which will take place on August 8 at Dak Lak Culture Centre, also marks the region's National Tourism Year.

"This is the first time classical music has come to Central Highlands audiences. The concert will feature masterpieces from around the world as well as classical Vietnamese songs," said VNSO director Nguyen Tri Dung.

Conducted by Japanese maestro Honna Tetsuji and featuring cello soloist Tran Thi Mo and pop singer Tung Duong, the concert will include music by Tchaikovsky and Brahms as well as Vietnamese musicians Van Cao, Van Phong and Doan Nho.

"Appearing on stage at the Toyota concert is an honour for me. Two years ago, I enjoyed the performances of pop divas My Linh and Thanh Lam and I wished to sing like them," said Tung Duong, who will sing patriotic and romantic Vietnamese songs including Truong Ca Song Lo (The Epic of the Lo River), Chiec Khan Pieu (Pieu Scarf), Bai Ca Hy Vong (Song of Hope) and Nguoi Lai Do Tren Song Po Ko (Boatman on the Po Ko River).

"These songs are a big challenge for pop singers like me. This is the first time I will sing the song Boatman on the Po Ko River," he said.

Composed by Cam Phong, the song tells the story of A Sanh (1937-2000), an ethnic Jrai who joined the army and was tasked with taking Vietnamese soldiers, weapons and food across the Po Ko River in Gia Lai Province.

"I will fill the song with my personal feelings, not only about the hero but about the beauty of my country," Tung Duong said.

Toyota Motors Viet Nam has sponsored the annual concert since 1998. It was recently expanded to Laos and Cambodia. The goal is to make classical music more approachable to Vietnamese audiences, according to Doan Thi Yen, deputy president of Toyota Motors Viet Nam.

"As usual, all proceeds will go towards the Toyota Scholarship for Vietnamese Young Music Talents. We put all of our beliefs in the young generation and hope that this support will give them more passion and motivation to become successful artists," Yen said.

The concert will come to Ha Noi on August 1 and 2 (Ha Noi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien Street) and to HCM City on August 11 (HCM City Opera House, 7 Cong Truong Lam Son, District 1). The theatres will sell tickets for VND300,000, 500,000 and 700,000 starting on July 21. — VNS