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AT the annual award ceremony last March the final list of Chinese Influencing the World was revealed. Among them， standing amid a galaxy of cultural icons and science luminaries like Nobel laureate Mo Yan and the crew of Shenzhou-9 spacecraft， was 31-year-old pianist Lang Lang.
For the young musician this honor came hot on the heels of the French Order of Arts and Letters medal， which he received in January in Cannes. When presenting the medal to Lang Lang， French Minister of Culture Aurelie Filippetti said： “Lang Lang is one of the best pianists in the world. He has presented several concerts in France and they were very well received. Furthermore， he has influenced many young people across the world. I think he deserves this honor.”
Such acclaim has become everyday for this man listed among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009. His fame is so great that he has been invited to play for President Obama at the White House， and enchanted a global audience of billions at the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. These dizzying heights are as high as any classical musician can hope to rise， but his success didn’t come without a cost.
“I Paid a Price for Every Minute of Success”
Lang Lang always makes light of his own role as a piano student and has often expressed gratitude to his father who introduced， or more accurately， “coerced” him into the world of music.
Born in Shenyang City in northeastern China， Lang Lang first put his chubby little hands on a piano at the age of three. His father Lang Guoren used to be a professional erhu player， but his career was cut short by the chaos of the decade-long “cultural revolution” （1966-1976）. Filled with regret for what might have been， he pinned all his hopes on his son.
Lang Lang started playing piano at three and began to take lessons from Professor Zhu Yafen of the Shenyang Conservatory of Music at four， soon demonstrating extraordinary talent and winning top prizes at local and national competitions. But it wasn’t until he was nine that Lang Lang’s story became legendary.
Though his achievements were huge， Lang Guo-ren saw his son’s potential， and believed he deserved better opportunities for his gift to truly bloom. He decided to move to Beijing， home of the nation’s best piano schools and teachers. In 1992 he resigned from his job as a police officer and boarded a train to the capital with his son. “He hid the resignation from me at first， saying that he got a job in Beijing，” Lang Lang recalled. “I found the resignation letter when we were already in the capital.” Lang Guoren rented a home in an area little better than a slum. “The apartment building was dilapidated and the street was strewn with garbage，” said Lang Lang’s mother Zhou Xiulan， who admitted she was hesitant when she saw it. But Lang Guoren was resolved， warning her： “Don’t ruin the boy’s future！”
Lang Lang didn’t fail his parents. In 1993 he was enrolled at the primary school affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music with high scores at the entrance tests. The next year he applied for the fourth Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists in Germany， and his father took out a loan to cover his trip. The 12-year-old won first prize at the prestigious event. In 1997 Lang Lang， turning 15， was admitted as the first Chinese student at the Philadelphia-based Curtis Institute of Music. Three months later he was approached by IMG， which manages international talent in sports， fashion and media.
As years progressed the young artist ascended further and further into the world’s limelight. But the rise couldn’t have happened without long hours of intensive practice every day over the decades. In an interview Lang Lang said： “People see me smiling on the stage， but they don’t see the endeavors I have made off stage. I have paid a price for every minute of success.”
Lang Lang’s claim that he has， possibly， put greater effort into achieving his status than any of his contemporaries may seem arrogant， but the pressure he experienced as a very young child， put upon him by a father who sacrificed everything and also by himself， was immense. Ambitious and stern， Lang Guoren is the man whose mere presence would send shudders down children’s spines， as a former classmate wrote. At nine Lang Lang was rejected by a teacher for “lacking the talent for piano.” Hearing this， Lang Lang wanted to give up， but his father flew into a rage， angrily suggesting that he jump off the balcony rather than give up piano as a career. Under such pressure， Lang Lang persevered.
Rather Flamboyant Than Mediocre
Lang Lang first drew the attention of the U.S. musical world in 1999 at the Ravinia Festival “Gala of the Century” held in Highland Park， Chicago， Illinois. André Watts was scheduled to play， but due to health problems couldn’t perform. Lang Lang stepped in. The performance that followed brought him astounding praise and recognition. A Chicago Tribune music critic called him “the biggest， most exciting young keyboard talent I have encountered in many a year of attending piano recitals.” A slew of American orchestras offered him contracts， and soon their European peers followed suit. Lang Lang soared into the stratosphere of world musicians at warp speed. The young pianist’s daring， even ostentatious style onstage splits opinion on him. Some critics go to the length of accusing him of contorting and distorting music. Lang Lang has shrugged it off， saying， “It is sassy to play with the music if you can do it right.” As he sees it， both ingeniously twisting established techniques or superbly exploring conventional patterns can make a great pianist. He commented that he has been exploring both directions and found both challenging. But there is some consensus on Lang Lang.“No one questions his astounding technique，” said an article in New York Times. “And he brings keen musical instincts and a passion to communicate to every performance.”
With the air of a pop icon， the young pianist refuses to be classified either as a classical or a popular musician， but is ready to be both. One of his aspirations is to play or even win a prize at the Oscars. “I don’t like to be confined to classical music， and see film scores as a good alternative，” he has been quoted as saying.
Since 2004 Lang Lang has given more than 150 performances every year， and his fans are found all over the world. Among them are such celebrities as the Prince of Wales and former U.S. President George H.W. Bush. Bush Senior wrote the young pianist a letter after almost every recital he attended， commenting on details such as his hairstyle and performance.
Classy and ostentatious， Lang Lang appears in a raft of advertisements ranging from luxury watches to cars， which， together with the many commercial performances he gives， brings the young artist a handsome income. Now he has found success on stage and taken over the family finances， his relationship with his father has changed. “He used to be my boss， now I call the shots，” Lang Lang joked.
“Charity Requires No Propaganda”
Some reviewers have accused Lang Lang’s performance as being too commercial， degrading him from a serious musician to a moneymaking pop star. Lang Lang challenged this view with the fact that he gives more than 30 free recitals and hands out over RMB 3 million to his charity fund every year. “People are not supposed to hoist a placard when they engage in philanthropic activities，” he remarked. “Charity requires no propaganda.”
In 2008 Lang Lang launched the Lang Lang International Music Foundation in New York， his mission to inspire the next generation of classical music lovers and performers. The foundation selects 10 talented children every year and offers each of them a scholarship of €5，000 to fund their music studies. In the years when Lang Lang studied in Beijing accompanied by his father， he received no such sup-port. His mother stayed back in their hometown Shenyang， and her salary was the only income the family had. “I think that if I had received some financial support from others life for me and my parents in those years would have been less stressful.”
Later on in his studies he encountered many charitable people whose generous help motivated him to repay their kindness by assisting music students in his former situation. He hopes the foundation， through partnerships with businesses and artists， will help promote art education for kids all over the world.
Having been in both Chinese and Western art schools， Lang Lang has discerned distinct differences between the learning experience of music students in the East and West. “Chinese kids are in general more diligent， and their parents more committed. This puts them at an advantage. But Chinese kids need to be exposed to more systematic theoretic teaching and pedagogical patterns tried and tested globally，” he said. “I hope they can learn playing piano happily，” he added， obviously reflecting on his own childhood.
It is estimated some 30 million children are learning piano in China， and many parents see Lang Lang as a role model for their offspring. Last year Lang Lang established an institution in Shenzhen named after him， offering piano classes and organizing concerts and competitions for children. Through it he expected to share with Chinese teachers and students his expertise and experience garnered through years of studying in the West and performing around the world.
Lang Lang sees the bond between music and charity， how both make the world a better place， and is involved in charitable activities far beyond his own personal foundation. In 2003 he was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador， and in this role he has taken on such activities as giving a fundraising concert for African children. In 2010 he became a Shanghai World Expo ambassador and appeared in a promotion video for Earth Hour， a worldwide event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature（WWF） to raise awareness of climate change.
Lang Lang will be the first to admit that the journey he took to his current success was a dark one， but instead of licking his wounds he is determined to use his experiences and success to make the world a brighter place. In particular he is taking measures to ensure that other children’s experience of learning a musical instrument involve neither the emotional nor financial burdens he and his family had to bear. Rather than brooding on what has been， he is determined to look towards what might be. “In music， education or any other undertakings， what matters is bringing about concrete results，” he said. “One has to take solid measures to go after tangible goals. This is the only way you can expect development and have a future.”
For the young musician this honor came hot on the heels of the French Order of Arts and Letters medal， which he received in January in Cannes. When presenting the medal to Lang Lang， French Minister of Culture Aurelie Filippetti said： “Lang Lang is one of the best pianists in the world. He has presented several concerts in France and they were very well received. Furthermore， he has influenced many young people across the world. I think he deserves this honor.”
Such acclaim has become everyday for this man listed among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009. His fame is so great that he has been invited to play for President Obama at the White House， and enchanted a global audience of billions at the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. These dizzying heights are as high as any classical musician can hope to rise， but his success didn’t come without a cost.
“I Paid a Price for Every Minute of Success”
Lang Lang always makes light of his own role as a piano student and has often expressed gratitude to his father who introduced， or more accurately， “coerced” him into the world of music.
Born in Shenyang City in northeastern China， Lang Lang first put his chubby little hands on a piano at the age of three. His father Lang Guoren used to be a professional erhu player， but his career was cut short by the chaos of the decade-long “cultural revolution” （1966-1976）. Filled with regret for what might have been， he pinned all his hopes on his son.
Lang Lang started playing piano at three and began to take lessons from Professor Zhu Yafen of the Shenyang Conservatory of Music at four， soon demonstrating extraordinary talent and winning top prizes at local and national competitions. But it wasn’t until he was nine that Lang Lang’s story became legendary.
Though his achievements were huge， Lang Guo-ren saw his son’s potential， and believed he deserved better opportunities for his gift to truly bloom. He decided to move to Beijing， home of the nation’s best piano schools and teachers. In 1992 he resigned from his job as a police officer and boarded a train to the capital with his son. “He hid the resignation from me at first， saying that he got a job in Beijing，” Lang Lang recalled. “I found the resignation letter when we were already in the capital.” Lang Guoren rented a home in an area little better than a slum. “The apartment building was dilapidated and the street was strewn with garbage，” said Lang Lang’s mother Zhou Xiulan， who admitted she was hesitant when she saw it. But Lang Guoren was resolved， warning her： “Don’t ruin the boy’s future！”
Lang Lang didn’t fail his parents. In 1993 he was enrolled at the primary school affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music with high scores at the entrance tests. The next year he applied for the fourth Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists in Germany， and his father took out a loan to cover his trip. The 12-year-old won first prize at the prestigious event. In 1997 Lang Lang， turning 15， was admitted as the first Chinese student at the Philadelphia-based Curtis Institute of Music. Three months later he was approached by IMG， which manages international talent in sports， fashion and media.
As years progressed the young artist ascended further and further into the world’s limelight. But the rise couldn’t have happened without long hours of intensive practice every day over the decades. In an interview Lang Lang said： “People see me smiling on the stage， but they don’t see the endeavors I have made off stage. I have paid a price for every minute of success.”
Lang Lang’s claim that he has， possibly， put greater effort into achieving his status than any of his contemporaries may seem arrogant， but the pressure he experienced as a very young child， put upon him by a father who sacrificed everything and also by himself， was immense. Ambitious and stern， Lang Guoren is the man whose mere presence would send shudders down children’s spines， as a former classmate wrote. At nine Lang Lang was rejected by a teacher for “lacking the talent for piano.” Hearing this， Lang Lang wanted to give up， but his father flew into a rage， angrily suggesting that he jump off the balcony rather than give up piano as a career. Under such pressure， Lang Lang persevered.
Rather Flamboyant Than Mediocre
Lang Lang first drew the attention of the U.S. musical world in 1999 at the Ravinia Festival “Gala of the Century” held in Highland Park， Chicago， Illinois. André Watts was scheduled to play， but due to health problems couldn’t perform. Lang Lang stepped in. The performance that followed brought him astounding praise and recognition. A Chicago Tribune music critic called him “the biggest， most exciting young keyboard talent I have encountered in many a year of attending piano recitals.” A slew of American orchestras offered him contracts， and soon their European peers followed suit. Lang Lang soared into the stratosphere of world musicians at warp speed. The young pianist’s daring， even ostentatious style onstage splits opinion on him. Some critics go to the length of accusing him of contorting and distorting music. Lang Lang has shrugged it off， saying， “It is sassy to play with the music if you can do it right.” As he sees it， both ingeniously twisting established techniques or superbly exploring conventional patterns can make a great pianist. He commented that he has been exploring both directions and found both challenging. But there is some consensus on Lang Lang.“No one questions his astounding technique，” said an article in New York Times. “And he brings keen musical instincts and a passion to communicate to every performance.”
With the air of a pop icon， the young pianist refuses to be classified either as a classical or a popular musician， but is ready to be both. One of his aspirations is to play or even win a prize at the Oscars. “I don’t like to be confined to classical music， and see film scores as a good alternative，” he has been quoted as saying.
Since 2004 Lang Lang has given more than 150 performances every year， and his fans are found all over the world. Among them are such celebrities as the Prince of Wales and former U.S. President George H.W. Bush. Bush Senior wrote the young pianist a letter after almost every recital he attended， commenting on details such as his hairstyle and performance.
Classy and ostentatious， Lang Lang appears in a raft of advertisements ranging from luxury watches to cars， which， together with the many commercial performances he gives， brings the young artist a handsome income. Now he has found success on stage and taken over the family finances， his relationship with his father has changed. “He used to be my boss， now I call the shots，” Lang Lang joked.
“Charity Requires No Propaganda”
Some reviewers have accused Lang Lang’s performance as being too commercial， degrading him from a serious musician to a moneymaking pop star. Lang Lang challenged this view with the fact that he gives more than 30 free recitals and hands out over RMB 3 million to his charity fund every year. “People are not supposed to hoist a placard when they engage in philanthropic activities，” he remarked. “Charity requires no propaganda.”
In 2008 Lang Lang launched the Lang Lang International Music Foundation in New York， his mission to inspire the next generation of classical music lovers and performers. The foundation selects 10 talented children every year and offers each of them a scholarship of €5，000 to fund their music studies. In the years when Lang Lang studied in Beijing accompanied by his father， he received no such sup-port. His mother stayed back in their hometown Shenyang， and her salary was the only income the family had. “I think that if I had received some financial support from others life for me and my parents in those years would have been less stressful.”
Later on in his studies he encountered many charitable people whose generous help motivated him to repay their kindness by assisting music students in his former situation. He hopes the foundation， through partnerships with businesses and artists， will help promote art education for kids all over the world.
Having been in both Chinese and Western art schools， Lang Lang has discerned distinct differences between the learning experience of music students in the East and West. “Chinese kids are in general more diligent， and their parents more committed. This puts them at an advantage. But Chinese kids need to be exposed to more systematic theoretic teaching and pedagogical patterns tried and tested globally，” he said. “I hope they can learn playing piano happily，” he added， obviously reflecting on his own childhood.
It is estimated some 30 million children are learning piano in China， and many parents see Lang Lang as a role model for their offspring. Last year Lang Lang established an institution in Shenzhen named after him， offering piano classes and organizing concerts and competitions for children. Through it he expected to share with Chinese teachers and students his expertise and experience garnered through years of studying in the West and performing around the world.
Lang Lang sees the bond between music and charity， how both make the world a better place， and is involved in charitable activities far beyond his own personal foundation. In 2003 he was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador， and in this role he has taken on such activities as giving a fundraising concert for African children. In 2010 he became a Shanghai World Expo ambassador and appeared in a promotion video for Earth Hour， a worldwide event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature（WWF） to raise awareness of climate change.
Lang Lang will be the first to admit that the journey he took to his current success was a dark one， but instead of licking his wounds he is determined to use his experiences and success to make the world a brighter place. In particular he is taking measures to ensure that other children’s experience of learning a musical instrument involve neither the emotional nor financial burdens he and his family had to bear. Rather than brooding on what has been， he is determined to look towards what might be. “In music， education or any other undertakings， what matters is bringing about concrete results，” he said. “One has to take solid measures to go after tangible goals. This is the only way you can expect development and have a future.”