Bringing Classical Music Closer to the Public

According to Ms. Mai Duc Hanh, Communications Officer of the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra, the organization has long sought opportunities to bring classical music to Da Lat — a place that many artists consider both inspiring and intimate.

Reaching diverse audiences

The Da Lat concert was introduced through a partnership with Pho Ben Doi, founded by cultural entrepreneur Hien Nguyen. The program had previously been staged in Hanoi before making its way to the highland city.

With a master’s degree from the Vietnam National Academy of Music and further training across Europe, Ms. Hanh has taught at the Military University of Culture and Arts and translated and edited numerous publications on music history and world-renowned composers, including Beethoven and Mozart.

She currently leads the music education project “Bet To VUI” — a playful name inspired by Beethoven and the Vui Café in Hanoi, where the initiative first began in 2018. The project was created by café owners passionate about classical music who regularly connected artists with audiences through small-scale performances.

The program goes beyond performance alone. Each session combines storytelling, historical context, and listening guidance, helping audiences better understand the music. By presenting classical works in an approachable and lively way, “Bet To VUI” transforms what is often perceived as academic or distant into something relatable and emotionally engaging.

Through introductions to composers such as Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart and Tchaikovsky, the project seeks to “touch” listeners of all ages and backgrounds.

Connecting with Da Lat

For its first Da Lat tour, Ms. Hanh was joined by pianists Ngo Huy Khanh Linh and Duong Hong Thach, both lecturers at the Vietnam National Academy of Music.

Ngo Huy Khanh Linh completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in Russia and has won prizes at numerous international piano competitions in Korea, Russia, Moscow and Mexico. He has also served as a jury member for several domestic and international contests. Meanwhile, Duong Hong Thach graduated from the Vietnam National Academy of Music and pursued advanced studies in Russia, later winning the Gold Medal at the Asian Piano Festival in Korea.

During the two-day program in Da Lat, the artists performed classical masterpieces by Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Mozart, Ravel and Debussy, offering audiences a rare chance to experience live chamber music in an intimate setting.

Beyond the concerts, Ms. Hanh also hosted a seminar introducing two iconic Romantic-era composers — Frédéric Chopin and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. She presented A Little History of Music by Robert Philip, a book she co-translated, providing listeners with a broader understanding of Western music history and its relevance to contemporary listening experiences.

Ms. Hanh explained that each “Bet To VUI” event is designed as a journey — from discovering the historical background and creative thinking of composers to directly experiencing the music in close, welcoming spaces. This format allows audiences to more deeply appreciate the emotional and artistic language of each piece.

For her, the project is more than a music education initiative. It is a meeting place — a space where people can encounter classical music naturally, openly and in ways that resonate with modern life.

By choosing Da Lat as a destination, the organizers hope that the gentle rhythms of classical melodies will continue to blend with the city’s poetic atmosphere, gradually nurturing a new, curious, and passionate generation of listeners.