Phuong Nguyen

Phuong was born in Halong Bay, Vietnam He started to play the piano accordion at the age of eight at Hanoi National Conservatory and aged 16, Phuong left Vietnam by boat, after which he spent four years in refugee camp in Hong Kong. With the help of a dedicated group of supporters, including Professor Owen Murray from the Royal Academy of Music, he was able to come to England in 1993 to commence his studies at the Royal Academy of Music.

He has played as a soloist in many countries the UK, China, Malaga, Spain, Canada, Holland, Germany, and Austria. Apart from demand as a soloist, Phuong has performed in an accordion ensemble with both the BBC Symphony and BBC Concert Orchestra, the Halle Orchestra (in Prokofiev’s Cantata for the 20th anniversary of the October Revolution at the Royal Albert Hall, London, and the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, respectively), the SWF Symphony Orchestra of Baden-Baden at the Proms, Edinburgh and Salzburg Festivals, and most recently at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Royal Festival Hall, South Bank, London.

Phuong has worked with Pimlico Opera Company, the Shared Experience theatre company in UK & US tour, Musical director at the Lyric Hammersmith, West End, and Washington tour with the Almeida Theatre Company. He has travelled internationally with the Concordia Theatre Company and received travel scholarships from the Concordia Foundation. Most recently he was invited to Vietnam to give a memorable concert and workshop at Hanoi Conservatoire. Phuong is currently continuing his career as a performer and a teacher in a secondary school in London.