Vietnamese, foreign musicians hold virtual Covid-19 relief concert

Local and foreign classical performers will stage a virtual concert, SiaM Vol. 8: Il Barroco, to help raise funds for the "Be Strong Vietnam" Covid-19 campaign.
June 11, 2021 | 17:04
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Vietnamese, foreign musicians hold virtual Covid-19 relief concert
A promotional poster for virtual concert SiaM Vol. 8: Il Barroco. Photo: Schubert in a Mug.

The free online concert will be streamed live at 8 p.m. on June 14 from Hanoi, featuring guest artist Nguyen Duy Long (bassoon), Hoang Ho Thu (piano), Hsin-Chiao Liao (piano) from Taiwan and Patcharaphan Khumprakob (viola) from Thailand, cited VnExpress.

The virtual concert will include different compositional styles, for various instrumental combinations, from solo, duo to trio; by notable Italian Baroque composers like Domenico Scarlatti, Antonio Vivaldi, Domenico Gabrielli, Giuseppe Tartini. Besides, the concert also covers the famous keyboard concerto in F major by J. S. Bach, which wonderfully captures the Italian spirit.

In the current situation where Vietnam is trying its best to fight off the Covid-19 pandemic, Schubert in a Mug is hosting the concert online to spread hope and positivity, Vietnamnews reported.

The money raised will go toward Covid-19 fundraising campaign "Be Strong Vietnam", which is accepting financial support from now until June 21. Donations will be used to provide emergency medical tools and equipment to medical centres facing tremendous stress and difficulties due to the pandemic.

The concert is organized by Schubert in a Mug with support from the Goethe-Institut Hanoi and the Inspirito School of Music.

The virtual event will be aired on Zoom and musical group Schubert in a Mug's Facebook page.

Vietnamese, foreign musicians hold virtual Covid-19 relief concert
SiaM Vol. 8: Il Barroco takes place on Monday 14 at 8 p.m.

The term “Baroque” is now widely used to represent an era, an artistic style which includes architecture, music, painting, sculpture and other arts from the early 1600s until around 1750. However, in the context of music during that time, did you know that this term “Baroque” was used mainly as a criticism, to describe anything that is odd, unusual, going against traditional artistic rules? In a written review published in May 1734, an anonymous critic used “Baroque” to describe an opera of Rameau, complaining that the music lacked coherent melody, was filled with unremitting dissonances, constantly changed key and meter. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who was a musician and noted composer as well as philosopher, made a very similar observation in 1768: "Baroque music is that in which the harmony is confused, and loaded with modulations and dissonances. The singing is harsh and unnatural, the intonation difficult, and the movement limited.” Not until the year 1919, the term “Baroque” was used as it is intended nowadays, according to Schubert in a Mug.

SiaM Vol. 8 aims to bring viewers back to the root of Baroque music in Italy during the early 17th century, thus the name for Vol. 8 is “il Barroco” or Italian Baroque.

The concert musicians: notable Italian Baroque composers such as Domenico Scarlatti, Antonio Vivaldi, Domenico Gabrielli and Giuseppe Tartini; the famous keyboard concerto in F major by J S Bach with Italian spirit.

Artists set to perform include guest artist Nguyen Duy Long (bassoon), Hsin-Chiao Liao (piano), Phan Do Phuc (cello), Patcharaphan Khumprakob (viola), and Hoang Ho Thu (piano).

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