Last weekend, the Ha Noi Department of Culture and Sports organised the special artistic programme "Crescendo - Symphony of Connection" as part of the Crescendo - Ha Noi 2026 International Music Festival series at the oudoor space by Hoan Kiem Lake.
The programme brought together a large number of artists, professors, music experts and outstanding young talents from Viet Nam and many countries around the world. To appeal to a broad audience, most of the works selected for performance were already familiar to Vietnamese audiences.
Among the international works performed were "Summer" by composer Antonio Vivaldi, "The Nightingale" by Alexander Alyabiev, and excerpts from the opera The Barber of Seville. The Vietnamese repertoire featured highlights drawn from traditional folk music.
Alongside Viet Nam's accomplished performers, audiences also enjoyed performances by a number of international artists, including Japanese piano professor Rintaro Akamatsu, conductor Daniel Park from the Republic of Korea, as well as artists from Austria, China and Brunei.
Arriving early for the performance, Nguyen Thu Hien, from Doi Can Street, Ba Dinh Ward, Ha Noi, said: “It is not often that we have the opportunity to enjoy a free programme such as Crescendo – Symphony of Connection. My family therefore arranged our schedule in advance so that we could come and watch the performances. We, together with the other members of the audience, were delighted to experience these classical masterpieces performed by outstanding artists.”
Pham Tuan Long, Director of the Ha Noi Department of Culture and Sports, said that the music festival not only provides a platform for exchange and cooperation among artists, lecturers and music experts from Viet Nam and abroad, but also contributes to the development of the cultural industries, promotes the image of Ha Noi as a UNESCO Creative City, and brings contemporary music closer to the public.
"Crescendo – Symphony of Connection" forms part of a series of weekend artistic programmes organised by the Ha Noi Department of Culture and Sports under the "Community Music" project. In previous years, artistic activities held in public spaces such as parks and flower gardens were generally associated with amateur performances. However, Ha Noi has changed this perception through the "Community Music" project, whose first programme was launched in November 2025.
Each programme has been carefully produced by performing arts organisations, professional artists, or lecturers and students from the city's leading arts institutions. Some events have featured the country's leading performers, such as Peaceful Ha Noi and Crescendo – Symphony of Connection. Depending on available resources, the city also organises jazz concerts and programmes inspired by love for the homeland, the nation and the capital. The project further enriches its offerings with circus performances, variety acts and traditional performing arts.
After more than six months of continuous free performances, the programmes have transformed the Octagonal Pavilion into a distinctive cultural destination and a regular weekend gathering place for art enthusiasts. In addition to residents of the capital, many tourists have also been drawn in after unexpectedly encountering these high-quality performances offered free of charge.
Trinh Quoc Khanh, from Thanh Hoa Province, shared: “I used to think that symphonic music was something very exclusive that could only be enjoyed in a concert hall. But after listening to Vietnamese folk songs performed during Crescendo – Symphony of Connection, I feel that symphonic music has become much closer to ordinary people.”
Whereas high-quality professional performances were once largely confined to theatres and major events, the city is now proactively bringing world-class art to the public through spaces such as pedestrian streets, parks and flower gardens, with the "Community Music" project serving as a prime example.
In recent years, art and photography exhibitions, together with large-scale artistic performances, have increasingly appeared in public spaces. This transformation is not merely a change of venue, but reflects a broader shift in the way audiences are engaged. Bringing high-quality art to a wider public is an effective means of enhancing people's appreciation of the arts while nurturing creativity throughout the community.
