Weekend jazz opens 2026 in Hanoi with warmth and quiet optimism

THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi welcomed the new year with the first Weekend Music program on January 4, offering residents and visitors a graceful start shaped by jazz melodies and familiar tunes.

The concert unfolded at the Octagonal House in Ly Thai To Flower Garden, where Meritorious Artist saxophonist Quyen Van Minh joined musicians from the Binh Minh Jazz Club for a performance rich in emotion and nuance.

International jazz standards such as Happy New Year, In the Mood, The Girl from Ipanema and On the Sunny Side of the Street brought a relaxed, buoyant mood. The pace then softened with reflective pieces like The Way You Look Tonight and I Wish You Love, inviting the audience to linger in quieter moments.

A standout segment featured spring-themed Vietnamese songs loved across generations, including Lang Nghe Mua Xuan Ve (Listening to Spring’s Arrival) and Mua Xuan Dau Tien (The First Spring). These melodies carried a sense of familiarity and renewal, perfectly suited to the season.

Singer Quan Pham said he prepares carefully for each performance to give audiences the best possible experience.

Alongside young vocalists from Binh Minh Jazz, he performed in both English and Vietnamese, creating a natural connection with listeners.

Warm applause and a growing number of regular attendees have encouraged the artists to continue the project.

Quan Pham shared that jazz has long flowed quietly through Hanoi’s cultural life and he hopes these concerts help that flow grow stronger and reach wider audiences.

Against the timeless backdrop of the Octagonal House, the music felt intimate and unforced, blending easily with the city’s rhythm and drawing people together through shared emotion.

Launched in November and organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, the Weekend Music program has become a steady cultural presence, reinforcing Hanoi’s image as a UNESCO Creative City while bringing high-quality arts into public spaces.