Conductor Tetsuji arrived in Vietnam in 2000 when he and the Nagoya Phiharmonic Orchestra organized a tour in eight Asian countries, including Vietnam. He was invited to work in Vietnam by Ngo Hoang Quan, Director of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra and in 2001 he started working as a lecturer and musical director of the VNSO.

With his experiences of working with the world’s leading solo artists, namely Martha Argerich, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Antonio Menses and Cecile Licade and conducting different orchestras, Tetsuji has helped to improve the performance quality of the VNSO. He led VNSO performances in many places around the world. In October 2004, he and the VNSO organized successfully the tour in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan and held a concert programme with tickets booked in advance for the VNSO in 2005. In late October 2011, he and the orchestra had a tour in the US and in 2013 they will perform a special programme to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties.

When working in Vietnam, the difference in cultures between Vietnam and Japan is the most difficult for him. Therefore, sometimes he and his Vietnamese colleagues did not share similar opinions on work habits. However, with a great passion for the music, he overcame all difficulties.

Chief Conductor Tetsuji has been with the VNSO for over 10 years. He works as a musical director and conductor of the VNSO. Tetsuji instructs Vietnamese instrumentalists. Tetsuji and the VNSO’s instrumentalists practice hard for the tour in the US in late October 2011. Tetsuji and young talented violist Do Phuong Nhi practice before a performance. Trans-Viet Toyota Concert in 2011 with Tetsuji and talented violist Do Phuong Nhi and the VNSO. Thanks to the tireless efforts by Tetsuji, the VNSO’s performance takes place successfully.

He sometimes invites his talented colleagues and instrumentalists in other countries to perform in Vietnam or teach the instrumentalists of the VNSO. Many of them volunteered to help the VNSO many times. Truls Sanaker, operator and conductor of the Royal Norwegian Band, said: “I am really impressed by Hanoi and the work style of conductor Honna Tetsuji and the ability of Vietnamese instrumentalists.”

Honna Tetsuji: - In 1985: The first prize at the Tokyo International Conducting Competition. - 1990: Winning the second prize at the Toscanini International Conducting Competition. - 1992: The first prize at the Budapest International Conducting Competition. - 1997: The first Prize for the Osaka Stage Art Development - Honna Tetsuji conducted many orchestras like Hungary Phiharmonic States, Zagreb Phiharmonic, Brno Phiharmonic Orchestra and Prague Radio. In Japan, he was assigned the conductor of the Osaka Symphony Orchestra (1995-2001) and conductor of the Japan Chamber Orchestra (1993-1997). Between 1998-2001, he was the standing guest conductor of the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra. - At present, besides the position as the principal conductor of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, Honna Tetsuji is Music Director of the Nipponica Orchestra found in 2003.

When being asked to compare the Vietnam’s symphony to that of other countries in the world and the VNSO’s position, Honna Tetsuji said: “It is difficult to compare because each country has different cultural features so that the perceptions of music is also different. The Vietnamese people like to listen to music, play musical instruments and their ability of perceiving sounds is quite different from others in the countries I have visited. I only confirm that the VNSO is now much better than before and its performances attract more attention from the public and that makes me feel happiness.

Tetsuji also said that it was the people, landscape and food of Vietnam that kept him staying for a long time in this country and he felt like he was living in his homeland. Another reason that makes him feel attached to the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra is Ngo Hoang Quan, Director of the Orchestra. He said: “Ngo Hoang Quan helps me work and have a close relationship to the VNSO. At work, we sometimes argued tensely and I thought that we could not work together. However, we then overcame all because we both share the highest goal of helping the VNSO develop and catch up with the regional and international level.