Cellist Nguyen Thu Cuc, who works at VOV’s Literature, Arts and Music Department, is now an editor of the newly-opened channel Sonata-FM89. “One of our key challenges is ensuring that editors responsible for different programme segments work together to create a seamless 24-hour broadcast. Our short-term and long-term plans coordinate content and produce a well-rounded schedule that offers listeners the best possible musical experience. Another challenge is selecting music that follows the body's natural rhythms throughout the day,” she said.
VOV Sonata-FM89 has been carefully designed to offer music that suits listeners’ changing moods throughout the day. Mornings begin on a bright and cheerful note with “Sounds of the Sun,” followed by “Legendary Melodies,” featuring works by some of the world’s greatest composers. At lunchtime, listeners can unwind with “Emotional Station,” while evenings bring a more relaxed mood with timeless jazz classics.
The channel also plays “Concert Hall,” with live and recorded performances. Tran Nhat Bang, Deputy Head of Literature, Arts and Music Department, explained:“When developing our programmes and broadcast schedule, we’ve drawn inspiration from international radio channels, taking the best of what they offer while adapting it to the tastes of Vietnamese music lovers and the way the VOV produces its programmes. We’ve also recently welcomed international experts to share ideas on how to help listeners gain a deeper appreciation of music and broadcast the world’s great musical works, along with Vietnamese instrumental music.”
In addition to programming, technology plays a crucial role in delivering high-quality sound. Technical teams are developing software that makes it easier for editors to scan and edit music, as well as setting up studios and live transmission systems. Engineers are planning to air VOV Sonata-FM89 on digital platforms.
Huynh Thang Long, Deputy Director of the Programme Production and Archives Centre at the Voice of Vietnam, said: “We planned and carried out the work at a remarkable pace. Our first task was to design and set up a new production studio for VOV Sonata-FM89, followed by a new broadcast transmission room. We had just one month to get everything ready. Facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, using IP-based systems for programme production, editing, and transmission.”
According to VOV’s Deputy General Director Pham Manh Hung, music has been central to the broadcaster’s identity throughout its more than 80 years of service to the nation. The launch of Sonata-FM89 builds on this tradition while embracing the spirit of a new era, through more professional production, advanced technology, greater openness to cooperation, and creative ways to engage audiences.
“The channel aims to meet the musical needs of Vietnamese audiences while contributing to the development of an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity, in line with the Politburo’s Resolution No. 80. Over the past three months, we have worked intensively with international experts to develop the programme schedule, invited specialists from abroad to train our reporters and editors, and secured sources of music rights at home and abroad. We have begun the necessary procedures for VOV to join the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which would give us access to a wider and richer collection of classical music,” Mr. Hung said.
Dedicated to enriching Vietnam's cultural landscape, VOV Sonata-FM89 bridges global classical music with Vietnamese audiences, while cultivating local talent, honoring creators and artists, and fostering the country’s classical music ecosystem.
