Looking at Ho Chi Minh City through the lens of music

Reporter : From what idea did you (Khanh Trang) and he (Le Van Hy) compose the songs "Phut ban dau" and "Pho hat"?

- LE VAN HY: Khanh Trang and I have spent nearly 4 decades studying, living and working in Ho Chi Minh City. We want to bring the hustle and bustle, excitement but also the simplicity of Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City into "Singing Street". There have been many beautiful couples who have found love in this dynamic and happy city and this has been shown in "First Minute".

Nhìn TP HCM qua lăng kính âm nhạc- Ảnh 1. — Author Le Van Hy

Do you have any unforgettable memories of Ho Chi Minh City? Is it easy or difficult to compose songs about Ho Chi Minh City?

- LE VAN HY: There are many memories of Ho Chi Minh City, but perhaps the most impressive and unforgettable is the dynamic vitality of the people here. Each person has different perspectives and opinions. For me, composing about Ho Chi Minh City is not easy, because this city is so rich in emotions and history. To write a song that is considered good, reflecting the soul of the city, requires the artist to truly understand and love this city.

Khanh Trang is working at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music . Do you have faith in the current generation of young musicians and singers when they participate in songwriting competitions about the city to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification?

- KHANH TRANG: As the generation inheriting the cultural traditions and glorious historical pages of the nation, today's young people have all the conditions to continue, preserve and develop those good values with the freshness of their souls, with the voice and breath of the times, the creativity of youth... through the language of music.

We can hope and put our trust in the young generation of musicians and singers in songwriting competitions, especially with traditional and historical themes of the nation such as the meaningful songwriting campaign of the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper.

Nhìn TP HCM qua lăng kính âm nhạc- Ảnh 2. — Author Khanh Trang

How can songs written about Ho Chi Minh City spread widely among the public, especially the youth?

- LE VAN HY: To do that, the song needs to reflect the rhythm of modern urban life, the psychology of urban youth and the breath of the times. Reflect the constant changes and movements of the living environment, the emerging cultural trends and the aesthetic tastes of the music public. In addition, introducing and popularizing on media platforms and social networks is also very important. With the development of technology, music products will have more opportunities to reach people everywhere.

What do you expect from the songwriting campaign "The Country is Full of Joy" organized by the Lao Dong Newspaper ?

- LE VAN HY: The song composition campaign "The Country is Full of Joy" is an extremely meaningful event, not only to commemorate and pay tribute to our ancestors and heroes who fell for the independence and freedom of the nation, but also an opportunity for us to look back at the great achievements that the country in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular have achieved over the past 50 years.

I envision this movement will create a wave of vibrant compositions, reflecting the unique values and innovative development spirit of Ho Chi Minh City. It is an opportunity to arouse national pride in each citizen, so that we can together move towards a brighter future, where music is a bridge, a common language for everyone.

The songwriting campaign "The Country is Full of Joy" is organized by the Lao Dong Newspaper to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025). The Organizing Committee will select the 20 best works for the final round. The final round will take place in February 2025. During the time of receiving works and preliminary screening, the Organizing Committee will select good works to stage and introduce at the 30th Mai Vang Awards ceremony (around January 2025). The Organizing Committee will also post the works on the newspaper's social networking platform to introduce to the community.