In the cozy setting of the “Sofa Talk” segment, host Long Vu guided viewers through the emotional and musical journey shared by these two artists. Tran Tien expressed his deep trust in his younger counterpart, Duc Tri, who has served as the music director for his recent concerts. Duc Tri, in turn, opened up about the journey of encouraging the veteran musician to return to the stage and the behind-the-scenes efforts behind their collaboration.
A surprising highlight was the revelation of a lesser-known connection between the two musicians through the rock band Den–Trang. After Tran Tien left the group, Duc Tri continued its legacy. A rare 1992 clip featuring the song Thu mot lan was shown, stirring nostalgic emotions.
The program also revealed some touching untold stories: despite graduating with honors in Symphony Composition from the Hanoi Conservatory of Music, Tran Tien chose a path of du ca (wandering music). He brought melodies to people who couldn’t afford concert tickets. Tran Tien was visibly moved while recalling his years of singing on the streets, especially the song Tam biet chim en written for his late close friend, Meritorious Artist Quang Ly.
For his part, Duc Tri shared his transformative journey at Berklee College of Music and discussed how his artistic upbringing shaped his unique musical perspective. He stunned the studio audience with his performance of Da co hoai lang on the dan kim (a traditional Vietnamese lute), demonstrating his ability to fuse tradition with modernity.
In a particularly touching moment, the show celebrated Tran Tien’s 78th birthday with a guitar-shaped cake and a medley performance of Ruc ro thang nam and Co be vo tu by singer Hoang Quyen—a musical tribute that beautifully bridged the generational gap.
Weekend Rendezvous with Tran Tien and Duc Tri was more than a musical conversation—it was truly a “once-in-a-lifetime encounter”, where memory, talent, and emotion came together in a significant celebration of Vietnamese music.
