The Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra (VNOB) will begin a concert tour in Japan on Saturday.— Photo sgtt

HA NOI (VNS)– The Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra (VNOB) will begin a concert tour in Japan on Saturday.

During the 11-day tour, the VNOB will perform in seven big cities, including Yokohama, Koriyama, Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo and Nara.

Under the baton of Japanese conductor Hanna Tetsuji, the Vietnamese artists will perform several works by Beethoven, as well as Requiem for Strings by Takemitsu Toru – one of the leading 20th century Japanese composers – and the ballet suite Spider's Thread by Akutagawa Yasushi.

The programme will also feature Concerto Vivo by Vietnamese-French composer Nguyen Thien Dao.

The last concert, on October 1, will take place at Todaiji pagoda in Nara, where the musicians will perform the folk tune Vao Chua (Visit Pagoda) arranged by composer Ngo Hoang Quan.

Vietnamese actress Le Khanh and Japanese pianist Kodama Momo will narrate the concerts.

The concert tour is part of a series of cultural programmes to celebrate the 40th anniversary of relations between Viet Nam and Japan. – VNS