Interview Trịnh Mai Trang



I met Trinh Mai Trang the first time by chance in the musical show "Rendevouz 2004", organized by the students association at the London School of Economics right o­n the late night of the 20th November . I was really impressed by this small but talented girl. I think anybody also would.

Trang started learning to play the piano when she was o­nly 4, and then for 9 years in the College of Arts (and Music) of Ha Noi. In the 2 years 1996-1997 she got two first awards for Young Talents of the College, and was also the youngest to receive these honourable awards. In 2000, she represented the young Vietnamese to attend the Festival of Arts and Music for the World Youth, which was held in Tianjin, China. The 15-day-long trip brought her not o­nly happiness with new friends but also exciting experience. A whole new chapter was opened when 2 years ago, 17-year-old Trang went to the UK to study at Warminster Boarding School with a 50% scholarship in Business and IT subjects. Luckily, Trang met a teacher couple, Mrs Hillary Elton and Mr Christopher Elton (Director of the Keyboard department of the Royal Academy of Music - RAM). Being taught by two excellent pianists for 6 months, Trang applied to RAM afterwards. RAM is considered as the 2nd best music school of the world, after Julliard (America), and before Tchaikovski (Russia) - considered the third o­ne. She was offered an acceptance as the first and youngest Vietnamese to study the bachelor degree among o­nly 16 students that year.

Looking at my small friend with sparkling eyes, I keep wondering what motivates her to achieve such admirable results. During her academic study, she got 'satisfactory' AAB at the first year in Warminster school. Several years back when she was a student of Tran Phu high school, Trang also got a second prize for the municipal History competiton, a second prize for Biology subject and a first prize for Literature subject. A very well-rounded student!

As a student of o­ne of the best reputable and rigourous academies, her study demands passion, challenges and practices normally for 8-10 hours a day. Trang is always strict with herself by setting rules and targets she wants to reach. She said she would never forget the time in her College of Arts in HN when she would have given up music many times if her teacher, Mrs Mai Thu Thuy, had not always encouraged her to continue o­n the challenging journey of music. Being humble, she always says she is a very very lucky person to achieve all these, but I know it's her love and passion for music that has given her wings.

Sharing her her future dreams, Trang said that after finishing the degree, she wants to come back to Viet Nam and open a music school for children, with the help from her friends in RAM, and ambitiously to take Vietnamese students abroad to study music. She explained these wishes jolted from her own difficulties in studying music without support. As our students have many disadvantages both in finance and support to study music, she really aims to develop the Vietnamese music education from her experience and love for music.

On the New Year's Eve, listening to a song that Trang composed, I was dreaming when all our wishes would come true. All the dreams that have been nurtured and have given us more incentives to reach new horizons. The dreams to develop our country, to alleviate poverty and misery, and to better quality of life will be carried out by us. I believe that we, the energetic and ambitious students, can do not o­nly for ourselves but also for others.




Written by : Vũ Hoàng Yến A2 02 05
Editor: Nguyễn Hiền Trang A1 98 01