With his relentless efforts in promoting Vietnamese music, conductor Dong Quang Vinh is known as the "ambassador" by the domestic music world as he connects Vietnamese with international music.
Conductor Dong Quang Vinh was born in 1984 to a family of traditional musicians. His father is Meritorious Artist, musician Dong Van Minh and his mother is Meritorious Artist Mai Lai, a professor of zither at the Vietnam National Academy of Music (VNAM).At the age of 9, Vinh learned to play the bamboo flute at the VNAM He was invited to perform on stage in Japan when he was 12. In 2004, Vinh was sent by the Vietnamese government to study orchestral conducting at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and was awarded the most distinguished student scholarship by the China National Foundation.
| Dong Quang Vinh has been guest conductor of the Shanghai Opera House Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai University Chinese Traditional Orchestra, the Zhe Jiang Theatre, and the Chinese National Traditional Orchestra. |
Vinh conducted numerous Shanghai youth orchestras attending Chinese national competitions for student orchestras and has won a number of first prizes. During his 9 years of study in China, he performed with famous Chinese artists and carried out various projects that combine Vietnamese and Chinese folk music as part of the effort to promote understanding between the two countries.
 Dong Quang Vinh practices piano. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Conductor Dong Quang Vinh on stage. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Dong Quang Vinh and his colleagues at the Vietnam National Opera & Ballet practice for the musical “Les Misérables”. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Dong Quang Vinh conducts the orchestra to perform the musical “Les Misérables” at Hanoi Opera House. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Dong Quang Vinh passionately performs on stage. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Dong Quang Vinh and his colleagues are warmly welcomed by the audiences after each energetic performance. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Vinh and other artists of the Vietnam National Academy of Music pose for a photo after the performance. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Dong Quang Vinh inspires audience by his music talent. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP |
He obtained a master’s degree in 2013 with highest scores attainable and returned to Vietnam. In Vietnam, he is the conductor and teacher of orchestral conducting of the VNAM; principle conductor of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet; artistic director and conductor of Hanoi Voices Choir (HVC); director of the Suc Song Moi (New life) Bamboo Ensemble.
| In 2018, Dong Quang Vinh was selected by the US government as the only representative from ASEAN to attend the project “promote social change through the arts”. |
The birth of Suc Song Moi came from Vinh’s idea that Vietnamese music brought vitality from traditional instruments such as bamboo. The ensemble has been invited to perform at many national and international programs. Suc Song Moi was also honored as an inspiring orchestra which brings traditional art closer to the people of Vietnam and the world.
| Dong Quang Vinh has been praised by the Xinhua News Agency as a person connecting the musical friendship between Vietnamese and Chinese youths. |
Along with the success of the bamboo ensemble in Vietnam, in 2018, Dong Quang Vinh was selected by the US government as the only representative from ASEAN to attend the project “promote social change through the arts”. He was also one of the two Asian representatives participating in the International visitor leadership project (IVLP). There he confidently spoke on the subject “Bring Vietnamese music to the world” and heated up the forum with traditional Vietnamese tunes.
In Vinh, we can always see new ideas and new energy which inspires the public to love the traditional music of Vietnam even more.
 The birth of Suc Song Moi Bamboo Ensemble came from Vinh’s idea that Vietnamese music brought vitality from traditional instruments such as bamboo. Photo: Dong Quang Vinh's Files  Dong Quang Vinh, Suc Song Moi Bamboo Ensemble and Chinese musicians perform on stage. Photo: Dong Quang Vinh's Files  A symphony orchestra conducted by Dong Quang Vinh. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Dong Quang Vinh reads the music sheet before his lecture. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Dong Quang Vinh at a orchestral conducting lecture. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP  Dong Quang Vinh talks with members of Hanoi Voices, the choir that he established. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP 
The audience all admire Dong Quang Vinh. Photo: Thanh Giang / VNP
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Story: Bich Van Photos: Thanh Giang & Files Translated by Hong Hanh
