It has been almost one year sinceSSO’s launch. It seemed that it was a year of challenging but full of success foryou and for the SSO also, wasn’t it?
It has beenan honor to be part of the Sun Symphony Orchestra and privilege to help developa new standard of music making in Vietnam.
It has beena very successful year since the creation of the SSO and I am proud to say thatnot only have we succeeded in achieving our goals but we have also exceededmany of our expectations.
Currently,we are preparing the launch of our 2019-2020 season, which all of us at the SunSymphony Orchestra have been eagerly awaiting.
We aredetermined to continue presenting our audiences premium quality concerts withthe world’s most recognized soloists. As we truly wish to become Vietnam’sCultural Jewel, much hard work lies ahead and we all look forward to meetingthis challenge.
What are the advantages anddisadvantages that you and members of the SSO orchestra have faced during the pastyear?
Creating anew orchestra is difficult however the unique opportunities and challenges haveinspired the best in all of us at the SSO.
We are allcommitted to sharing our love for music and feel a responsibility to enrich thecommunity with our knowledge.
Theorchestra is comprised of many different nationalities; both Vietnamese and international.Developing an understanding for each other takes time and patience.
Fortunatelyfor all of us, music’s uniqueness as a universal language connects all of us toour mission. What is created is absolutely beautiful.
You used to lead the PhilippineNational Symphony Orchestra (PPO). Do you see any difference when leading the SSO? In other words, do you see any difference between the classical music industryof the two countries?
Leading thePPO was a very good experience and I am grateful for having had the opportunityof being their Music Director.
The SunSymphony Orchestra is a completely different project that I am very happy to bea part of. I am very thankful to be part of Hanoi’s cultural community.
It is said that the SSO has a plan ofselling tickets for its performances in 2019. Will this contradict the“non-profit” spirit mentioned when the orchestra was established?
In the nearfuture the SSO will be going public with a ticket selling plan for ourconcerts. This should not be confusedwith the “non-profit” spirit that we had mentioned before. It is all a questionof perception.
What doesone consider the worth of the product that we produce? We believe here at theSSO that our value is spiritual and not just about entertainment.
Who will be the target audience when theSSO develops the plan of selling tickets for its shows?
The SSO wascreated to serve the entire community of Hanoi and be the bridge between peoplefrom all backgrounds. That was part of our original mission and we arecommitted to this goal.
Between two missions: 1. To upgradethe Vietnamese classical music taste toward international standards, and 2. Tobring classical music closer to majority of community, which one is thepriority you’d like to focus on in the coming time? Obviously, these twoare hard to go together.
By bringingthe public closer to classical music, you automatically upgrade classical musictastes. They are synonymous. I can give you an example with coffee. In Asia,particularly in China, coffee sales were almost non-existent.
Recentstudies suggest that soon it will soon surpass tea as the country’s beverage ofchoice. Gourmet coffee is the latest trend. Exposure is the key. Value willalways win out.
Can you tell our readers the future strategyof the SSO?
The SSO aimsto enrich the cultural community of Hanoi and put the city on the InternationalArtistic map. Vietnam is growing exponentially and we are extremely pleased tobe part of the journey.
Thanh Van/Vietnamnet – Photo of SSO
