Hanoi (VNA) – President Vo Van Thuong, other Party, State leaders and former leaders attended an August 20 art performance in Hanoi to celebrate the 100th birthday of famous composer, poet, and painter Van Cao (1923-1995) who composed “Tien quan ca” (The Marching Song) – Vietnam’s national anthem.
Themed “Dan Chim Viet” (Flock of Vietnamese Birds) after Cao's famous and early composition and organised by the Vietnam Musicians Association on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and the National Day (September 2), the event aims to honor the outstanding value of his works and his creativity and dedication to Vietnam’s music in particular and the country's art culture in general.
The programme featured more than 20 classic songs that earn him the fame of one of the greatest composers in Vietnam.
Composer Van Cao, born in 1923 in the northern city of Hai Phong, composed ‘The Marching Song’ in 1944.
The original version of the song was chosen by President Ho Chi Minh to be the national anthem and edited by the National Assembly in 1955./.