VIETNAM SYMPHONYIn 1965, at the height of the Vietnam War, the Hanoi National Conservatory of Music was in danger of being bombed. Vietnam Symphony is the story of the inspired decision taken by Conservatory staff and students to protect their beloved music and instruments and their wish to continue playing. It tells how they transported their instruments to a small village in the countryside. With the help of villagers they built an entire campus underground, including and auditorium for 500 and special rooms for each of 40 pianos, with a maze of tunnels beneath the village houses to connect all their classrooms. There, as the war raged overhead, they lived and played music for the next five years. Vietnam Symphony tells their extraordinary story, contrasting life then and now. It combines remarkable archival footage with contemporary interviews with the people involved, who are now among Vietnam's leading musicians. |
