Lang Lang Chinese pianist Date of Birth: 14.06.1982 Country: China

Biography of Lang Lang

Chinese pianist Lang Lang is known for his performances with leading orchestras in Europe, the United States, and China. He has been praised for his ability to successfully embody two roles - that of a classical prodigy and a superstar, similar to a rock music icon. Lang Lang was born on June 14, 1982, in Shenyang, Liaoning, China. His father played the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument. When Lang was two years old, he watched an episode of the popular cartoon "Tom and Jerry" in which Franz Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" was featured. This was his first exposure to Western music, sparking his love for the piano. Lang began taking lessons at the age of three and by the age of five, he won first place at the Shenyang Piano Competition and made his debut in public.

At the age of nine, Lang auditioned for the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing but was rejected due to difficulties with the required etudes, with the judges deeming him "untalented." However, one of the music teachers who witnessed the disappointed young boy decided to play Mozart's "Piano Sonata No. 10 in C Major, K. 330" for him. The teacher even invited Lang to join in the performance. Lang later said that this sonata gave him new hope. Eventually, Lang was admitted to the conservatory and in 1993, he won the piano competition in Beijing. In 1994, he received the first prize for outstanding achievements at the Fourth International Competition for Young Pianists in Ettlingen, Germany.

In 1995, at the age of thirteen, Lang performed Frédéric Chopin's "Op. 10" and "Op. 25" etudes at the Beijing Concert Hall, winning first prize at the International P.I. Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Japan. At the age of fourteen, Lang performed a solo number at a concert by the Chinese National Symphony Orchestra, which was attended by Jiang Zemin and broadcasted on China Central Television. The following year, Lang began studying at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He started giving solo concerts and performing at major events in various cities, becoming the first Chinese pianist to play with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and several leading American orchestras.

Lang received acclaim from critics and musicians worldwide. Indonesian conductor Jahja Ling said, "Lang Lang is special because of his total mastery of the piano... He has talent and great communicative power." The program "Morning Edition" on NPR noted that "Lang Lang has conquered the classical world with his dazzling technique and charm." However, Lang's performance style sparked controversy when he burst onto the classical music scene in 1999. Pianist Earl Wild referred to Lang as the "Jennifer Lopez of the piano," alluding to the pop singer Jennifer Lopez. Others criticized the young Chinese pianist for his immaturity but acknowledged his ability to "captivate crowds with youthful bravado" among classical musicians.

In 2001, after his debut at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Yuri Temirkanov, Lang performed in Beijing with the Philadelphia Orchestra, which was touring in honor of its 100th anniversary. Together with the orchestra, Lang performed in front of an audience of 8,000 people at the Great Hall of the People. That same year, the pianist made his debut at the "BBC Proms" festival in London, leading a British newspaper critic from "The Times" to write, "Lang Lang stormed the packed Royal Albert Hall." In 2003, Lang appeared again at the "BBC Proms" with Leonard Slatkin premiering a concerto. Following his performance with the Berlin Philharmonic, the German newspaper "Berliner Zeitung" stated, "Lang Lang is an astonishing musical performer whose artistic techniques always serve the music."

In December 2008, Lang launched the "YouTube Symphony Orchestra" project in partnership with Google and YouTube. In the same year, nearly a billion viewers watched his performance at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing. The pianist was hailed as a symbol of youth and the future of China at the Games. On January 19, 2011, Lang performed at the White House during a dinner in honor of Chinese President Hu Jintao. One of the pieces he played was a melody from the song "My Motherland" from the anti-American film "Battle on Shangganling Mountain" about the Korean War. Although the politically and historically significant meaning of the popular song has faded in China, some interpreted Lang's choice as an insult to the United States. Later, the pianist clarified that he chose the song because it was his childhood favorite, intending to convey the beauty of the melody rather than to offend the United States. A representative from the White House also stated that "My Motherland" is widely known and popular in China purely for its melody and that Lang performed the song without any words or references to political themes.

On July 4, 2015, Lang performed George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" at the "A Capitol Fourth" concert, celebrating Independence Day in Washington, D.C. After being included in TIME magazine's list of the "100 Most Influential People," jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock described Lang's artistry, saying, "You hear him play, and it touches your heart in a way that will never cease."