Asian Youth Orchestra performs at Ho Guom Theatre on August 12 and 13. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

The Asian Youth Orchestra (AYO) brings together young musicians from China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries and territories, selected annually through a rigorous technical audition process.

A distinctive feature of AYO is its training model, which combines performance with international exchange. Each summer, members participate in a six-week program, with the first three weeks devoted to rehearsals in Hong Kong (China), followed by a three-week international concert tour with renowned conductors and soloists. This provides young musicians with an opportunity not only to improve their professional skills but also to experience a multicultural working environment.

Notably, young Vietnamese musicians are also part of the AYO community. Their participation serves as a direct bridge between Vietnamese musical talents and the region’s young artistic community, opening up opportunities for young Vietnamese musicians to exchange, learn and develop in an international artistic environment.

Since its debut performance in 1990, the Asian Youth Orchestra has given more than 400 concerts to over one million audiences across Asia, Europe, the United States and Australia. The orchestra has performed at renowned venues around the world, including the White House, the United Nations and the Sydney Opera House, and collaborated with many world-renowned musicians and conductors, including cellists Yo-Yo Ma, Mischa Maisky, Steven Isserlis, Wang Jian and Alisa Weilerstein; and violinists Vadim Repin, Sarah Chang, Gidon Kremer, Gil Shaham, Elmar Oliveira, Young Uck Kim, Stefan Jackiw and Cho-Liang Lin.

At the concert on the evening of August 12, Hanoi audiences had the opportunity to enjoy classical works performed by AYO musicians under the direction of guest conductor John Axelrod and principal conductor Joseph Bastian, alongside piano soloists Anna Tsybuleva and Lingfei Stephan Xie.

The program opened with Capriccio Italien, a work composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky following his trip to Rome, Italy, in early 1880.

The program continued with a masterful performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26.

The concert concluded with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. Written during the turbulent year of 1937, the work is marked by a strong sense of tragedy and profound ideas, featuring a monumental structure.

At the concert on August 13, the musicians performed Wagner’s Tannhäuser Overture, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2.

Some images from the performance provided by the Organizing Committee:

Ho Guom Opera House Listed Among World’s 10 Best Opera Houses Ho Guom Opera House, the only representative of Vietnam featured in the list, has been named among the world’s 10 best opera houses, as compiled by the website 10 Best of the World Travel Awards (WTA).

Opera Masterpiece “La Traviata” to Be Staged in Vietnam with More Than 100 Italian Artists La Traviata - Giuseppe Verdi’s more than 170-year-old opera masterpiece - will first be staged by Ho Guom Opera House in coordination with Giuseppe Verdi Trieste Opera House and performed by more than 100 Italian artists on July 30 and 31, 2026.