Published:  00:00 Wednesday - September 08, 2010

The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra will celebrate Frederick Chopin's 200th birthday at the Hanoi Opera House tonight with a performance of the Polish composer's Concerto for Piano No 1, Opus 11 by soloist Luu Hong Quang, 20. 

The concerto for piano was written in 1830 and first performed in Warsaw on October 11 of that year by the composer himself during one of his numerous "farewell" concerts.

The concerto – in three movements – is scored for solo piano with flutes, oboes and clarinets.

Quang has proved himself as an exceptional young pianist with a series of international prizes.

He became a close friend of his family's piano at the age of five and was tutored by his dad, Luu Quang Minh, an accordionist and jazz expert of Hanoi.

The pianist's technique and sensibilities won him a special prize at the Asia Chopin international piano competition, Tokyo, in 2006, and a second prize at the Valtidone international piano competition, Italy, in 2008.

Quang accepted a full scholarship at the Australian International Conservatorium of Music in November 2006 where his prowess as a pianist grew strongly under the tutelage of esteemed professor Kyunghee Lee.

He has joined various ensembles in Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Italy, and Serbia.