Concert to pay tribute to Việt Nam's matriarch pianist and teacher

Thái Thị Liên was renowned as a great Vietnamese pianist. Photo courtesy of the family

HÀ NỘI — A special concert to pay tribute to the late Thái Thị Liên, one of the founders of Việt Nam's National Academy of Music, will be held at the grand concert hall of the academy on December 28.

The concert, entitled Tiếng Đàn Còn Mãi Ngân Vang (The Piano's Echoes Resound Forever), will feature the participation of the faculty and artists from the Piano Department of the Vietnam National Academy of Music, representing various generations of instructors and students of the department. Some of them are Liên's students, now at their 80s, like Distinguished Teacher Kim Dung and Outstanding Artist Tuyết Minh.

The highlight of the event will be a performance of world-acclaimed pianist Đặng Thái Sơn. The artist will tell stories in musical language about his mother and also his first teacher, artist Thái Thị Liên, as a special gift dedicated to her.

Architect Trần Thanh Bình, Liên’s oldest son, said his family always intended to organise a memorial concert for the late artist. However, they felt it was necessary to take some time to heal from the sorrow of her passing before holding the event.

Explaining the title of the concert, he said it aims to convey the message that her music continues to inspire future generations even after she passed away.

During her lifetime, she always hoped for a strong community of pianists and better facilities with more pianos available, both of those wishes will be presented on stage this time, Bình said. The artists will perform piano pieces for four hands, six hands and eight hands, showcasing the continuity of generations and the facilities of Việt Nam's National Academy of Music.

Images of the life and career of People's Artist Thái Thị Liên that reflect her dedication and passion for piano art will also be screened at the special concert.

“In the past, my mother went through a very difficult time, not touching the piano for three years. We will showcase a video to capture her joy when she finally got to play the piano again,” Bình added.

"Having gone through a life full of both glory and bitterness, my mother has always devoted herself to art, family and generations of students,” said Liên’s daughter, People’s Artist Trần Thu Hà.

Associate Professor and Dr Nguyễn Huy Phương said that taking part in the concert holds significant meaning for him, making him feel like “a member of the family tree of Vietnamese pianists.”

Dr Đào Trọng Tuyên also said he was honoured to perform at the event, adding that he wished to contribute his utmost to its success.

Legend

Liên was born in 1918 in what was then Sài Gòn of French Indochina, to a wealthy Catholic family whose father was one of the few Vietnamese French-trained engineers. She studied music from four years of age with the French Catholic sisters in Sài Gòn for 11 years and put on her first performance at the City Hall.

While in Sài Gòn, she studied with French pianist Armande Caron, who was referred to in the Malaya Tribune on September 30, 1931, as an: "Eloquent interpreter of Chopin, Schubert, and Schumann."

She went to France in 1946 with the intention of pursuing advanced studies in music. However, due to the historical upheavals in Việt Nam, she moved from Paris to Prague in 1948 and studied piano performance at the Prague Conservatory, one of the oldest music schools in Europe. She graduated with honours in 1951 under Professor Ema Dolezalová, presenting an extensive programme that included works by D. Scarlatti, J. S. Bach, L. V. Beethoven, and B. Smetana.

At the end of 1951, she followed her husband, revolutionary Trần Ngọc Danh, to Việt Bắc to participate in the resistance and work with the Central Artistic Troupe. In early 1954, she joined the Peace Choir to travel to Shanghai, China, where they recorded a programme to be broadcast on the radio when the capital Hà Nội was liberated that autumn.

She was one of the seven musicians who founded the Vietnam National Music Academy in November 1956, and served as the first head of the piano department until her retirement in 1977.

Throughout more than 20 years of dedication, even during the difficult years of war and scarcity in evacuation, People's Teacher Thái Thị Liên compiled programmes and curricula, trained the first lecturers, and directly educated many generations of piano instructors and artists.

Many of her students became renowned artists, musicians, and educators, such as Nguyễn Hữu Tuấn, Hoàng My, Phương Chi, Tuyết Minh, Kim Dung, Trần Thu Hà, and Đỗ Hồng Quân. The most prominent among them is People's Artist Đặng Thái Sơn, her youngest son, who was the first Asian to win the first prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition in 1980.

In addition to her teaching career, she was actively involved in performances. She was the first to present a recital programme in Hà Nội in the late 1950s and participated in concerts with experts from the former Soviet Union, such as Professor Khódjaev (violin) and Fedoshénko (cello) at the Hà Nội and Hải Phòng Grand Theatres.

She constantly attended concerts, practiced, taught and performed on stage during significant events, including the 50th and 60th anniversary celebrations of the Vietnam National Academy of Music. Notably, she performed in the concert celebrating her 100th birthday in November 2017.

Liên performed at a concert celebrating her 100th birthday in November 2017. VNA/VNS Photo

She passed away on January 31, 2023.

She was not only the mother of three children but also a legendary mother and teacher to many generations of Vietnamese pianists. VNS