Vietnamese composer and pianist Ton That An’s first orchestral piece,
The Legend of Thanh Giong, will receive its premiere performance by the
Berlin Symphony Orchestra at Philharmonie Hall in Berlin on February 24.
Now based in Chinese Taiwan, An is better known by his stage
name of Aaken. A French-born Vietnamese, he is also an accomplished
singer and songwriter who has made two albums, Circlesong (2005) and
Hyperbody (2010), the latter recorded in Paris, Taipei, and
Chicago.
The new composition was inspired by a famous
Vietnamese fairy tale about Saint Giong, who, at just three years of
age, fought Chinese invaders to save his country and suffering people.
The
February 24 performance will include Vietnamese zither artist Nguyen
Hien Nang and acrobatic duo Huynh Dinh and Van Anh, who won a gold medal
at the Circus Festival in France.-VNA