Following the highly anticipated announcement of its return with a fresh and surprising 2.0 version, the Sun Symphony Orchestra – SSO has officially announced its new season titled “The Sun Returns”.

This season, the SSO will bring 6 concerts to symphony music lovers, including 3 ticketed main performances (October 26th and December 11th at the Hanoi Opera House and November 1st at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House) and 3 free Chamber Concerts for all audiences (October 14th, November 11th, and December 3rd at the Vietnam National Academy of Music, Hanoi). Notably, the SSO will hold its first concert in Ho Chi Minh City. HCM on November 1st, since its launch in 2017.

The Sun Symphony Orchestra – SSO performing before the pandemic

Having been inactive for 2.5 years during the pandemic, the return of the SSO, with Olivier Ochanine, Music Director and conductor, is like going back to the time 5 years ago, when the orchestra was first established.

The orchestra version 2.0 rehearses for its return season

For almost 7 months since announcing its return, the French conductor and his "teammates" have scheduled extensive rehearsals, as well as conducted thorough research and testing to achieve the planned return schedule. Furthermore, the talented conductor also focuses on the quality, scale, and musical style, diligently seeking out emerging talents in the international symphony music market to join the "SSO family," continuously combining diverse musical styles and exploring new musical technologies to create a solid foundation for the development of the orchestra's 2.0 version.

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Russian-Vietnamese violinist Aylen Pritchin is a prominent guest performer this season.

Compared to previous seasons, this year's orchestra currently boasts over 70 talented musicians (permanent and guest) from Vietnam and many other countries around the world, including Japan, Russia, China, Thailand, Singapore, Belarus, South Korea, and Costa Rica. This number is expected to increase further in November as the SSO continues to recruit outstanding musicians to maximize its scale.

In addition to the official musicians, each performance will feature guest artists to provide a more magnificent musical experience for the audience. A highlight of this season is violinist Aylen Pritchin – a Russian of Vietnamese descent. He has won numerous prestigious international violin awards, including First Prize at the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition, and is currently highly regarded by classical music enthusiasts worldwide.

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Mr. Olivier Ochanine, Music Director and Conductor of the SSO

The music of the "Sun Returns" season most strongly demonstrates the innovation and flexible transformation of the orchestra. The French conductor revealed: “Throughout this year's season, especially the first main performance on October 26th, the chosen musical theme is 'The Sun Returns,' to express the emotions of the SSO and the audience now that the pandemic has temporarily passed – the excitement and joy of welcoming new energy as the 'sun' rises again for everyone.”

Besides classical pieces, this year's musical material will be bolder, featuring cheerful pieces from Spain, France, and Mexico. In particular, according to conductor Olivier Ochanine, Mexican symphonic music is very interesting but not often performed in Asian countries; therefore, many Mexican symphonies will be selected for the "The Sun Returns" season. “The audience will witness Mexican symphonies as well as Latin music flourishing on the SSO stage,” the French conductor emphasized.

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The Sun Symphony Orchestra (SSO) previously performed at Beer Plaza, Sun World Ba Na Hills for the public in 2018.

This season, the SSO is also specially bringing three free Chamber Concerts to the public. The idea for Chamber Concerts originates from the "House Concert" format of famous composers from 200 years ago. These are performances in small, cozy spaces with 3-5 musicians, aiming to introduce the audience to and get closer to the different groups/sound systems of the orchestra, thereby evoking emotions and fostering a habit of enjoying large concerts with the participation of the entire orchestra in the space of large theaters.

Before the final rehearsals for their inaugural concert, conductor Olivier Ochanine shared: “This return to the stage is like a ‘new dawn’ for us. The long break can be seen as a springboard for me and each individual to renew ourselves, thereby creating an orchestra with a fresh, captivating, and more emotionally resonant version for the audience.”

Established in 2017, under the leadership of world-renowned French conductor Olivier Ochanine and sponsored by Sun Group, the Sun Symphony Orchestra – SSO aims to become one of Vietnam's world-class symphony orchestras, enriching the spiritual lives of the public through music and setting new standards for the industry.

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