HÀ NỘI - The Việt Nam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) will perform two Christmas concerts in Hà Nội on December 26 and 27 to raise funds for underprivileged children. 

Under the baton of principal conductor Tetsuji Honna, the concert will feature popular and traditional Christmas songs like 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' and 'Jingle Bells'.

Vietnamese oboist Bùi Sơn Tùng, first violinists Lê Hoàng Lan and Đào Mai Anh, double bass player Vũ Cẩm Tú and others will also play pieces by musicians of the Baroque period including Handel, Bach, Alessandro Marcello and Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni.

Honna has been the musical director and principal conductor of the VNSO for more than 20 years and has conducted the orchestra in performances in a variety of countries such as Japan, the US, Italy and Russia. 

The VNSO was originally founded in 1959 and has since performed close to 40 concerts per year, featuring classical to romantic and contemporary music. 

The Christmas concerts will be free and start at 8pm both nights. The first one will take place at St. Joseph's Cathedral, 40 Nhà Chung Street in Hoàn Kiếm District on December 26 and the second is on December 27 at St Anthony's Hàm Long Church, 21 Hàm Long Street, also in Hoàn Kiếm. - VNS