Looking back, he affirmed that returning to Vietnam had always been his plan and was the right move to show his devotion to the fatherland.

VOV: You’ve been back home for a year. Are you pleased with your decision?

Violinist Bui Cong Duy: I have taken part in many concerts and contributed to bringing the violin to the public. The most interesting thing is teaching my first students at the Hanoi Conservatoire who have made good progress. Despite facing some difficulties in the new working environment, I’ve never regretted my decision to return to Vietnam. No matter where I am, I devote myself fully to my career. The most important thing is myself. Difficulties urge me on.

VOV: Getting a seat in the famous Russian symphony, Viourse Moscow, is a dream for many artists. As the only Asian artist ever chosen, could you tell us about the road to success in Moscow?

Violinist Bui Cong Duy: Viourse Moscow was established in the 80s and has performed all around the world. The Russian symphony gathered excellent foreign players. By chance, I heard the symphony was recruiting a violinist. My teacher encouraged me to take on the challenge. I prepared carefully and was chosen. I felt very happy and proud.

VOV: Why did you leave the position, which was not easy to gain, in order to come back home?

Violinist Bui Cong Duy: Indeed, I had a good job in the symphony which had performed frequently all over the world. However, visa applications for Vietnamese people abroad are very difficult. Had I changed to Russian citizenship, it would have been more convenient for me to follow the movements of the symphony. But I think of myself as a Vietnamese. There is no reason for me to give up Vietnamese citizenship, so I could not be a member of that symphony, I couldn’t help bearing Vietnamese citizenship.

I have been living away from Vietnam since I was 10 year old. Apart from hearing much about the difficult circumstances in the country, I knew that art hasn’t been developed well, so I wanted to return to Vietnam to share the knowledge that I have learned abroad to help improve the practice of the art of musicianship here.

VOV: What is your first impression of Russia when you set foot in the country?

Violinist Bui Cong Duy: My family left for Russia when the country was in crisis, so the situation was very hard. We had to queue up in weather that was under minus 20 degrees Celsius to buy sugar and bread. Even a rich Russian family had difficulty buying neccessities, never mind a Vietnamese family settling in Russia. Without relatives and a good command of the foreign language, it seemed rather hard to live there. My parents had to work several jobs while bringing me up.

VOV: For a majority of Vietnamese people, the symphony doesn’t seem relevant. They find it hard to listen to and think it’s only for the upper class. Do you think these obstacles have prevented the symphony from finding an audience? 

Violinist Bui Cong Duy: As an insider, understanding and loving classical music is a gradual process. As far as I know it will take time to capture the hearts of audiences. Classical music in Vietnam has also gone a long way before approaching listeners. However, the important thing is the way artists bring classical music to audiences and how the latter can fully enjoy it. I hope the artists, through their musicianship, will gradually change the preconceptions and listening habits of audiences.

VOV: Do you have any plans for this year?

Violinist Bui Cong Duy: I don’t have a long-term plan for the future because life always changes. I think art is a process of creation, performance and hard work. So long as I feel I still have the ability to contribute more to the fatherland’s art, I will continue my job. When I find my contributions no longer effective, I will have to explore a new way of advancing my career.

VOV: Thank you.