Blind girl lights up international piano stage

Image of Yen Nhi participating in the 9th Zhongsin International Music Competition, Vietnam regional round.

Yen Nhi is a blind girl, but with a strong passion for the piano, she overcame difficulties to win second prize at the Zhongsin International Music Competition in Singapore in January 2025.

Dark days

As soon as Nhi was born, her father left her and her mother to follow another woman. Yen Nhi lives with her mother in a rented kiosk at the old market on Bang B Street, Hoang Mai, Hanoi . Inside the small room of less than 15 square meters, there are many certificates of merit and awards displayed on the piano - which Nhi considers the most beautiful place in the house.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Sau, Yen Nhi's mother, said that her daughter was born completely healthy. However, when she was just 1 year old, a serious illness struck. A small white spot appeared in Nhi's eye, which then spread to the entire eye, and the black pupil was no longer visible. Mother and daughter immediately rushed to the hospital.

At that time, the young mother was stunned when the doctor said that her little daughter had retinoblastoma and had to have one eye removed. At 14 months old, Nhi had to undergo major surgery. After having one eye removed at the Central Eye Hospital, Nhi was transferred to the K Hospital for 6 more rounds of chemotherapy.

It was thought that after the surgery, Nhi would at least be able to see with her remaining eye. However, 20 days after the major surgery, the cancer relapsed and spread to her remaining eye. Seeing her child in pain and crying, Ms. Sau had no choice but to take her to the hospital and perform a second surgery, removing the remaining eye.

Nhi's first years of life passed in the dark, without seeing the Sun, her mother's smile, or the world around her. Later, when she grew up a little, when she went to school, her friends often teased her.

Nhi sadly recounted: "There was a friend who told me I was a ghost, just because I was not normal like other friends. When I studied well and got high scores, some friends did not believe me and thought I was lying."

Find the "light" of life

After the radical surgery, Nhi still has to take medicine every day to prevent the tumor from growing. However, the pain still torments the little girl's body from time to time. Nhi tries to act strong to reassure her mother.

And then a "glimmer of light" came to Nhi in the summer of 2023, when she happened to attend a piano class at the center where Nhi was studying.

"When I hear the sound of the piano, I feel like another world opens up. The pain seems to disappear," Nhi said. Since then, the piano has become her passion.

Although the family's economic conditions were difficult, seeing that her child loved the piano and had a talent for art, Ms. Sau tried to find ways to buy her child an old piano.

Unable to read music, Yen Nhi's way of learning is also different. The teacher holds her hand to guide her, then Nhi will memorize and practice over and over again to be able to refine it. Nhi has two lessons a week with the teacher, the rest of the time she practices at home in her free time.

For a sighted person, it takes an average of 1-2 years to master music theory and play level 2 piano, depending on the teacher's teaching ability, the individual's ability to absorb and practice regularly and continuously. For a blind person like Yen Nhi, the time will definitely be longer.

However, it only took her about 1 year of studying to be able to compete internationally. There was a period when Nhi stayed up until 1am to practice playing the piano, then a few hours later she would be at school to study with her friends.

Sharing about her daughter's journey to music, Ms. Sau said: "When I heard my daughter play Mother's Diary, I couldn't hold back my tears. Every time I see my daughter smile while playing the guitar, as a mother, I feel very happy, all my fatigue seems to disappear."

Nhi confided: "My mother worked all kinds of jobs to support me and my studies, so I often had to stay home alone. I used to feel very bored. But since I had the piano as my companion, I'm happy and have more hope in life. If it weren't for my mother and the piano, I probably wouldn't have had the motivation to continue living."

After several months of studying piano, Nhi won the promising prize at the 2024 Yoshine Music Festival, the excellent gold prize at the 9th Zhongsin International Music Competition, Vietnam regional round.

Notably, Yen Nhi became the only visually impaired contestant to win second prize at the 19th Zhongsin International Music Competition held in Singapore in January 2025, with the participation of more than 1,000 contestants from 28 countries.

At the age of 16, the pretty, smiling girl still dreams of a bright future. "I want to become a pianist to play for many people and earn money to support my mother," Yen Nhi said with a smile.

Currently, Yen Nhi is studying culture at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Secondary School. Ms. Phuong Quynh, the homeroom teacher of class 6A3, said that because Nhi is a blind student, she will have to work harder and try harder than her friends. Sometimes she has to miss school for health reasons, or to participate in piano competitions.

"However, the teacher and her friends always create conditions to help Nhi. Thanks to that, she quickly completes the knowledge she lacks during her absences. Especially, Nhi's studiousness has inspired her friends, from which they strive to improve together," Ms. Quynh shared.

Phan Nguyen Ngoc Chau (student of class 6A3) shared: "I really admire her because she can study well and play the piano skillfully. Yen Nhi studies hard, when she has a problem she doesn't understand, she always asks the teacher or us. Nhi is kind, cheerful and easy to get along with, so I like to play with her."

Vu Huong (According to tuoitre.vn)

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/126450/Co-be-khiem-thi-thap-sang-san-khau-piano-quoc-te