At the interview, she showed us a letter that was not “directly” connected with music. The letter was from one of her students at a special class called “Miracle Choir & Orchestra” (MCO). The class is special because she teaches classical music to children in needy situations in Hanoi. The letter was sent when the student was about to go back to her family after spending a long time in a child service establishment. The letters were written with beautiful handwritings, starting with: “I thank you a lot for teaching me how to love…”.
Though she didn’t mention music, this letter moved Trang Trinh the most as she has always followed this philosophy: “Music can do much, but with love people can do all”. To inspire and ignite love inside each person is what Trang Trinh wants to do via music. She has a strong belief that “music, as a language of emotions, can bring about an enormous spiritual strength that can help people understand their capability and therefore can enable them to overcome difficulties in their lives”.
 She has been invited to work for several big orchestras but pianistTrang Trinh chose to come back to Vietnam after finishing her studies abroad and pursue the education of music to the masses as her own career path. Trang Trinh shares her music inspiration with alittle musician of the Miracle Choir & Orchestra established by her and her husband, Korean tenor Park Sung Min. |
Trang Trinh has described classical music as, “the rhythm of the creation, depicting the sound of the universe’s movements, and delivering messages from Mother Nature””. She wants to bring it to her home country and help disadvantaged people who lack much in life to get more of the spiritual values, so that they can get more determination and belief in life.
Trang Trinh thinksthere is no pre-determined fate between her and classical music but for a passive encounter with the piano. In the 1990s, Trang Trinh, like many other small boys and girls of her age, was sent to piano class as the instrument was popular among middle class families in Hanoi at that time. Music has changed her vision in life without her noticing. Trang Trinh has always been sincerely devoted to classical music, helping this genre of music fulfill its mission of connecting love and improving the personality of each person.
Therefore, when studying in the UK, Trang Trinh nourished and prepared for a long journey to deliver her music dream to her fatherland. The letter from her little student is a confirmation that Trang’s journey is on the right track and her dream is on its way to reality.
Pioneering the new musical orientation in Vietnam
Miracle Choir & Orchestra is the only representative from the country to participate in the project of recordingthe Human Kindsingle, which was released and distributedglobally by Universal Music Operations in June 16, 2017.
This is the orchestra founded by Trang Trinh and her husband, Korean tenor Park Sung Min in October 2013 for needy children in Hanoi. Trang Trinh thinks if they are empowered spiritually, people can overcome many obstacles in life. Therefore, in this class, Trang Trinh has helped disadvantaged children to experience and practice with their own minds and spirit by playing the piano. To be able to play an instrument, learners need to be determined, focused, and nurture an analytical mind towards a specific work of music. It is this style of teaching that help members of MCO gain noticeable achievements.
Trang Trinh said, “The long term journey that I am pursuing is to offer access to music education for the masses”. She proudly categorized herself as an animateur, a professional that engages an audience with new forms of music beyond the traditional style. She acknowledged that this orientation is quite novel in Vietnam though it has been popular in the rest of the world.
With this orientation, artists combine their professional performing capability with educational work in order to find and eliminate barriers of time and knowledge so that an audience can have access to classical music through creative methods. The desire to dismiss the common concept of classical music as high culture encourages Trang to establish several projects in this line. The classical music that she brings to the public is said by many of her colleagues to be “not absolutely classical anymore”. But it makes it easier for the public to receive the human message and values of the works. The most telling example is the performance of “Nhat ky Duong cam” (The Piano’s Journal) in 2011. Not following the traditional performing style, Trang Trinh amazed audiences at her piano recitals by using different media forms to tell her story. The audience could experience emotions and stories of their own through both listening and watching.
 Trang Trinh wants all members of her orchestra to accomplish music techniques so that they can deliver the most beautiful performance. |
Trang Trinh is pursuing an innovative way of music communication. Accordingly, the public is not simply listening to a music performance but can also watch, feel and understand the music, through the common language of emotions. This lively and true language is communicated in a very signature way by Trang Trinh.
After 4 years of making her dream come true with remarkable achievements that impress the public, Trang Trinh is continuing her unique journey of classical music in Vietnam.
