[1] Originally established in 1956 as the Vietnam School of Music (Trường Âm nhạc Việt Nam) and conferred university status in 1982, the Conservatory is Vietnam’s premier music training, research and performance institute.
The majority of its 200-plus teaching staff (which include 17 Nghệ sĩ Ưu tú or Excellent Artists) are graduates of overseas conservatories in the former Soviet Union, Western Europe, North America and Japan.
It also participates in many exchange programmes with overseas conservatories, sending its musical ensembles abroad to perform and teach and in turn hosting performance and teaching visits by many internationally acclaimed orchestras and soloists.
In addition to teaching, the Conservatory is the source of the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra, made up of faculty, talented students and other professional musicians.
The group regularly performs at the Nhà Hát Lớn (Hanoi Opera House).