27 April 2006

Australian cellist MARKUS STOCKER and the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hanoi National Conservatory of Music

Markus Stocker, a senior Australian cellist, was the first western musician to visit Hanoi following the end of the war in 1978. This time he has returned to Hanoi to perform with the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hanoi National Conservatory of Music on Saturday 29 April at Hanoi Opera House, No. 1 Trang Tien, Hanoi.

Markus Stocker studied the cello, viola da gamba and conducting from the world’s greatest musicians of his age including August Wenzinger, Nadia Boulanger and Fritz Magg. His successful debuts in London, Berlin, Vienna and New York led to a busy concert career with regular tours to Europe, Russia, Israel, North America, South Africa and the Far East. He has been a guest at numerous Festivals, including Salzburg, Lucerne, Marlboro and Lockenhaus and has performed with eminent musicians such as Rudolf Serkin, Sandor Vegh, Martha Argerich, Wanda Wilkomirska and Gidon Kremer. His performances have attracted world-wide acclaim. Tim Page, New York Times, called him “the aristocrat among the cellists of his generation” and the Australian Daily Telegraph described Mr Stocker as “a cellist of real stature whose technique serves a deep and extraordinarily communicative musicality.” Markus Stocker has performed and lectured in all Australian capital cities, notably in Melbourne at the Australian National Academy of Music and the Victorian College of Arts in the University of Melbourne. He returns regularly to Europe for concerts and masterclasses.

Supported by the Australian Embassy as part of its ongoing public affairs and cultural relations program, the visit of Markus Stocker enhances in the relationship of two prestigious Conservatories of Music: the Hanoi National Conservatory of Music and Australian National Academy of Music. In the concert, he will play with senior Vietnamese artists and also his good friends. They are Prof. Tran Thu Ha (piano), Prof. Ngo Van Thanh (violin) and well-known Japanese-American conductor Shuichi Komiyama.

The Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell will have a private reception at his Residence to welcome Markus Stocker and his colleagues this evening.

For more information, please contact:

Nguyen Thi Thanh An
Public Affairs & Cultural Relations Manager
The Australian Embassy
8 Dao Tan Street, Hanoi
Tel.: 04-8317755, ext. 302
Mobile: 0903423440

or

Ms. Hai Van
International Cooperation Department
Hanoi Conservatory of Music
77 Hao Nam, O Cho Dua, Hanoi
Tel. 04-8514969
Mobile: 0913222990