Hanoi (VNA) - Conductor Le Phi Phi will return to Vietnam from Macedonia toconduct a classic concert entitled “Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich” in Ho ChiMinh City on January 9.

Born in Hanoi, Phi graduated from the MoscowTchaikovsky Conservatoire. After graduation, he became the permanent conductorof the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra from 1993 to 2000. He has alsoconducted numerous concerts around the world.

He has performedwith Macedonian National Symphony Orchestra, Macedonian Ballet Theatre, theSymphony Orchestra of the city of Nis in Serbia, the Vietnam National OperaBallet (VNOB) and Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra (HBSO) in HCMCity.

He has toured in Macedonia, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Sweden,Albania and Bulgaria and is currently teaching at the Macedonian Centre ofOpera and Ballet.

Since 1995, Phi has returned home regularly andjoined hands with the VNOB and HBSO for organising concerts. He has also helpedconnect overseas Vietnamese artists with local art show organisers.

The event will also be joined by renowned pianist Ho Thi The Van from Canada.

Pianist Ho Thi The Van started playing the piano at seven and was among the tenbest contestants at the International Piano Competition J. S. Bach in Germany’sLeipzig city.

The January 9 concert will feature Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 inB-flat minor, Op. 23, andthe Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47,by D. Shostakovich.

Piano ConcertoNo 1in B-flat minor, op 23 is one of the most popular compositions byTchaikovsky. The piece was composed in 1875 and first performed by Germanpianist Hans von Bülow. It was revised in 1889 and has been played by manyfamous pianists, including Vladimir Horowitz, Lang Lang and Van Cliburn. 

Shostakovich’s SymphonyNo 5 in D Minor, op 47, composed over three months in 1937, premiered inRussia by the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor YevgenyMravinsky. The performance was a huge success and received audience applausefor half an hour. - VNA