The beautiful love story of 9X Doctor Phan Do Phuc with his foreign wife in the same profession

Having studied abroad and worked professionally for many years in the US, cellist Phan Do Phuc chose to return to his homeland, continuing his journey of developing classical music in Vietnam.

Cellist Phan Do Phuc was born in 1990 and began his music career at a young age. In 2007, he went to Italy to study cello performance. Two years later, Phan Do Phuc went to the US to study further and has been working professionally in this market for many years.

Phan Do Phuc has achieved national and international success as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician.

Cellist Phan Do Phuc.

He has held the position of principal cello at many famous orchestras such as Napa Valley Festival Orchestra, New York Classical Player Orchestra, Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra and Pacific Music Festival Orchestra...

Phan Do Phuc graduated with honors with a PhD in Cello Performance under the guidance of Professor Colin Carr at Stony Brook University, New York.

In 2020, the artist returned to Vietnam to pursue his artistic career. He has been a cellist and soloist for most of the most prestigious orchestras in Vietnam.

No pressure when working with "Vietnam's most demanding musician"

At Dieu Con Mai 2025 , artist Phan Do Phuc performed for the first time with the song Nguoi Ha Noi . The classic song was composed by musician Nguyen Dinh Thi, expressing the patriotism, resilience and indomitable spirit of the people of the capital during the resistance war.

The highlight of the song is the melody and lyrical, powerful and heroic lyrics, but converting a work with lyrics into instrumental music is not easy.

To prepare for the performance, Phan Do Phuc spent time contemplating the lyrics and listening to performances by veteran singers.

He was also provided with a lot of information about the arrangement and transcription by musician Tran Manh Hung to have an overall picture of the performance.

9X artist performs for the first time at the National Concert "What remains forever".

Tran Manh Hung - who is often called "the most difficult musician in Vietnam" has caused many artists to feel pressured when working.

In Phan Do Phuc's eyes, his senior is serious, meticulous and always a perfectionist even in the smallest details. They have collaborated several times and are comfortable thanks to their similar mindset and musical direction.

“We both share the value of prioritizing respect for the author and his or her intentions expressed through every musical detail.

I don't feel worried or pressured about working with Mr. Hung, on the contrary, I feel excited about the opportunity to learn from my brother, a serious and dedicated artist," he said.

In particular, musician Tran Manh Hung was the one who proactively invited Phan Do Phuc to participate in Dieu Con Mai this year.

The moment he received the call from his senior, the 35-year-old artist was moved with gratitude for being able to participate in a program with such special meaning.

Phan Do Phuc spent a long time training and working professionally in New York (USA). Therefore, choosing to return to Vietnam is considered a turning point in his career.

The male artist once hesitated, even worried that changing the environment would greatly affect his emotions and work mindset.

After consideration, he and his wife - Taiwanese (Chinese) pianist Liao Hsin-Chiao decided to return to Vietnam after considering all factors from career to family.

After 5 years back in his homeland, the artist spent time adapting and developing himself. Compared to the almost saturated market like the US, Phan Do Phuc believes that Vietnam has a huge advantage in potential, giving artists like him more "space" to develop.

“At a concert I performed in New York, although the auditorium was packed, the majority of the audience was elderly. In our country, the number of young audiences present at shows is quite large. This is something many foreign artists aspire to and envy because they really want to see young energy in the auditorium like that,” he shared.

Phan Do Phuc quietly and persistently devoted himself to the cello.

Over the past few years, Phan Do Phuc has taken on many roles, "playing many roles", from musician, orchestra conductor, to teaching.

In 2020, he and a few colleagues founded the Schubert in a Mug (SiaM) project - a place where artists freely experiment with new materials, contributing to redefining the classical concert experience for audiences.

To date, the project has gone through 42 programs, introducing classic works of classical music in a fresh and engaging way.

In addition, he is currently the Deputy Executive Director of the Vietnam Youth Music Institute (VYMI). The Institute regularly implements many diverse programs every year to realize the goal of inspiring young people to build a long-term relationship with classical music.

Not rich but happy, grateful to wife in the same profession

Many classical musicians complain that their income and living standards are not commensurate with the effort they put in. What about you? When asked this question, Phan Do Phuc said that it is difficult to say whether it is commensurate or not. A major factor is the law of supply and demand in society. The value of something depends on how the surrounding community and locality perceive its value.

Phan Do Phuc determined from the beginning that this profession cannot bring much money, but in return, he will be spiritually prosperous, live a peaceful and happy life, and do what he likes.

He had heard stories of his colleagues practicing the piano in the morning and driving motorbike taxis, teaching, and even performing at weddings and engagements in the afternoon to ensure income. Each person loved their job and stuck with it in one way or another.

Phan Do Phuc hopes that this field will be increasingly recognized by society - at least so that artists do not have to struggle outside, but can fully focus and live and die for it.

“If the value of this art form is raised, the artists' income will increase.

With a prosperous life, artists will naturally have more time for their profession, and their level of expertise will also be raised," he expressed his opinion.

Phan Do Phuc and his wife Liao Hsin-Chiao. His wife is a prominent artist in the field of piano.

Busy with work, Phan Do Phuc is worried about losing connection with his family. He admits that sometimes he neglects his role as a husband and father.

The nature of the art industry can sometimes blur the lines between work and life. Both artist couple Phan Do Phuc and Liao Hsin-Chiao have faced this challenge, from staying up late and waking up early to long business trips...

“Married life has its difficulties. The important thing is to find a balance, to keep everything in balance. My wife and I are still learning, understanding and tolerating each other every day,” he said.

Phan Do Phuc feels lucky because his wife is in the same profession, so they can sympathize and share in life.

The two were classmates at a school in New York, then attended a summer camp. During meetings, they talked well, gradually became close, and developed feelings for each other.

They have been together for 11 years now, and have a 6-month-old son. Phan Do Phuc is grateful to his wife for accepting her own disadvantages, from bravely leaving the US and Taiwan (China), to accompanying her husband to Vietnam to rebuild everything from scratch.

Liao Hsin-Chiao has been working tirelessly for the past few years. During her pregnancy, she worked until the last month before giving birth and returned to teaching and performing after 6 weeks.

Liao Hsin-Chiao is a solid professional artist and has a certain position in the Vietnamese classical music world. She has been invited to perform concertos with both VNSO and HBSO - the two most traditional and prestigious orchestras in Vietnam.

Small home of cellist Phan Do Phuc.

Regarding his future plans, Phan Do Phuc believes that artistic work is an endless journey. Every morning when he wakes up, he tries to improve himself, learn new things and correct his mistakes.

“I want to improve myself every day: to be a profound and knowledgeable artist; a teacher with good pedagogical skills; and an understanding husband and father,” he confided.

Artist Phan Do Phuc and his wife perform together on stage.

Photo, clip: NVCC

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Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/chuyen-tinh-dep-cua-tien-si-9x-phan-do-phuc-ben-ba-xa-nguoi-nuoc-ngoai-cung-nghe-2433287.html