Many people let out a yawn at classical music because not everyone understands the complexity of the genre.
However, a new orchestra is even attracting younger audiences, thanksto its unique blend of pop, symphony and traditional music.
Rhapsody Philharmonic is made up of 50 musicians aged 17-25 from the Vietnam National Academy of Music.
Set up in September last year, the orchestra received immediate acclaim following its first show for students at the academy.
When Nguyen Hung Cuong, 25, studied in Australia , he dreamed ofsetting up a group in Vietnam for young musicians to exchange,create and play different styles of music.
When Cuongreturned to the country, he discussed the idea with Luu Quang Minh, thepresident of the students' association at the academy, and receivedpositive feedback.
"We decided to play semi-classicalmusic," Minh said. "We wanted to create a different musical space whereclassical and contemporary values could come together. "We want to bringclassical music closer to audiences, especially young people," headded.
They aren't passionate about melodies by Mozart andBeethoven, but they lose themselves in songs by Lady Gaga, Eminem andLinkinpark, Minh said.
"If we get bored playing serioussongs, we cheer each other up by playing exciting songs such as PokerFace on the violin and dan tranh (16-chord zither)," Minh said.
To lure young audiences to their music, they perform with traditionalVietnamese instruments accompanied by classical instruments such as thepiano, guitar, trumpet, cello and oboe.
IT student PhamThe Anh said he had thought that symphony was difficult to understand,but after attending a show by Rhapsody, he became enchanted by it.
"Rhapsody Philharmonic waters the dried souls of people who are workingday and night with numbers and programming. They play classical musicin a different and emotional way."
With the slogan Life Isa Vein of Eternity – We L.I.V.E Music, all members of the orchestrashare the same passion for music and expressing themselves.
"You may imagine that an orchestra should have to perform in a solemnchamber where the audience listen in silence and clap their handselegantly when the show ends, we are different," Minh said.
"We can perform anywhere and we're encouraged when the audience stands up to dance to our music," he said.
The orchestra's manager, Nguyen Song Ha, said that the secret toRhapsody's vitality was mixing classical music with traditional music.Classical music is played in a creative way through the use oftraditional Vietnamese instruments.
At the Long BienBridge Festival 2010 in Hanoi , Rhapsody impressed an audience ofover 4,000 by playing pieces using the bamboo flute, dan bau (Vietnamesemonochord), dan tranh and violin, accompanied by DJ's.
Composer Tran Manh Hung from the Vietnam Musicians' Association praisedthe orchestra as "heroes of Vietnamese music of the future".
The orchestra not only plays classical music, they also perform theirown music. Many of Rhapsody's members are young, Vietnamese musicians,who have played with orchestras from across Southeast Asia . All ofthem have excelled at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, and some ofthem are also members of the Vietnam National and Hanoi SymphonyOrchestras.
Professionalism and passion are theoutstanding characters of Rhapsody Philharmonic. The orchestra does notonly perform at events as guests, but also organises its own shows. Eachmember is responsible for a different task, such as designingadvertising posters, seeking sponsorship, arranging the show andinviting guests.
The orchestra has a monthly show at theVietnam National Academy of Music, where students account for themajority of audiences. As students with different timetables, they haveto save time to practise together during lunch breaks.
"The orchestra has so many members that it takes a lot of time to set our instruments up," Ha said.
"However, all of us love music and are committed to the group. /.
However, a new orchestra is even attracting younger audiences, thanksto its unique blend of pop, symphony and traditional music.
Rhapsody Philharmonic is made up of 50 musicians aged 17-25 from the Vietnam National Academy of Music.
Set up in September last year, the orchestra received immediate acclaim following its first show for students at the academy.
When Nguyen Hung Cuong, 25, studied in Australia , he dreamed ofsetting up a group in Vietnam for young musicians to exchange,create and play different styles of music.
When Cuongreturned to the country, he discussed the idea with Luu Quang Minh, thepresident of the students' association at the academy, and receivedpositive feedback.
"We decided to play semi-classicalmusic," Minh said. "We wanted to create a different musical space whereclassical and contemporary values could come together. "We want to bringclassical music closer to audiences, especially young people," headded.
They aren't passionate about melodies by Mozart andBeethoven, but they lose themselves in songs by Lady Gaga, Eminem andLinkinpark, Minh said.
"If we get bored playing serioussongs, we cheer each other up by playing exciting songs such as PokerFace on the violin and dan tranh (16-chord zither)," Minh said.
To lure young audiences to their music, they perform with traditionalVietnamese instruments accompanied by classical instruments such as thepiano, guitar, trumpet, cello and oboe.
IT student PhamThe Anh said he had thought that symphony was difficult to understand,but after attending a show by Rhapsody, he became enchanted by it.
"Rhapsody Philharmonic waters the dried souls of people who are workingday and night with numbers and programming. They play classical musicin a different and emotional way."
With the slogan Life Isa Vein of Eternity – We L.I.V.E Music, all members of the orchestrashare the same passion for music and expressing themselves.
"You may imagine that an orchestra should have to perform in a solemnchamber where the audience listen in silence and clap their handselegantly when the show ends, we are different," Minh said.
"We can perform anywhere and we're encouraged when the audience stands up to dance to our music," he said.
The orchestra's manager, Nguyen Song Ha, said that the secret toRhapsody's vitality was mixing classical music with traditional music.Classical music is played in a creative way through the use oftraditional Vietnamese instruments.
At the Long BienBridge Festival 2010 in Hanoi , Rhapsody impressed an audience ofover 4,000 by playing pieces using the bamboo flute, dan bau (Vietnamesemonochord), dan tranh and violin, accompanied by DJ's.
Composer Tran Manh Hung from the Vietnam Musicians' Association praisedthe orchestra as "heroes of Vietnamese music of the future".
The orchestra not only plays classical music, they also perform theirown music. Many of Rhapsody's members are young, Vietnamese musicians,who have played with orchestras from across Southeast Asia . All ofthem have excelled at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, and some ofthem are also members of the Vietnam National and Hanoi SymphonyOrchestras.
Professionalism and passion are theoutstanding characters of Rhapsody Philharmonic. The orchestra does notonly perform at events as guests, but also organises its own shows. Eachmember is responsible for a different task, such as designingadvertising posters, seeking sponsorship, arranging the show andinviting guests.
The orchestra has a monthly show at theVietnam National Academy of Music, where students account for themajority of audiences. As students with different timetables, they haveto save time to practise together during lunch breaks.
"The orchestra has so many members that it takes a lot of time to set our instruments up," Ha said.
"However, all of us love music and are committed to the group. /.
