Guest Artist Bio
Lang Lang
Heralded as the “hottest artist on the classical music planet” by the New York Times, 26-year-old Lang Lang has played sold out recitals and concerts in every major city in the world and is the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic and the top American orchestras.
In August 2008, more than 2 billion people – almost one third of the world’s population – viewed Lang Lang’s performance in Beijing’s opening ceremony for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, where he was seen as a symbol of the youth and future of China.
Tens of thousands of people enjoyed Lang Lang’s performances in 2008 in open-air concerts in parks and venues throughout the world including New York City’s Central Park, Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Chicago’s Ravinia Festival, Theaterplatz in Dresden and Hamburg’s Derby Park. During the XXIX Olympics he was also featured as a cultural correspondent on ZDF and made several special appearances on NBC’s Today Show Summer Olympics broadcasts.
During the summer of 2008, his biography, Journey of a Thousand Miles, published by Random House in eight languages, was released to critical acclaim. As part of his commitment to the education of children, he released a version of his autobiography specifically for younger readers, entitled Playing With Flying Keys.
Lang Lang began playing piano at the age of 3 and by the age of 5 he had won the Shenyang competition and given his first public recital. Entering Beijing’s Central Music Conservatory at age 9, he won first prize at the Tchaikovsky International Young Musicians Competition and played the complete 24 Chopin Études at the Beijing Concert Hall at age 13.
Lang Lang’s break into stardom came at age 17 when he was called upon for a dramatic last-minute substitution at the “Gala of the Century”, playing the Tchaikovsky concerto with the Chicago Symphony. Following this debut, he performed successful concerts around the world, leaving the London Times to remark: “Lang Lang took a sold-out Albert Hall by storm. … This could well be history in the making.”
In 2004 he was appointed International Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Due to his enormous popularity with children, Steinway has created five versions of the “Lang Lang™ Steinway” designed for the early musical education of children. This is the first time in its 150-year history that Steinway has ever used an artist’s name to produce pianos.
Lang Lang has contributed and worked to raise funds and awareness for earthquake relief efforts in China, including auctioning the red Steinway piano played during his 2008 New York Central Park concert, donating net proceeds to the American Red Cross China Earthquake fund. During the summer of 2008 the Lang Lang International Music Foundation was established with the purpose of expanding young audiences and inspiring future generations of musicians through its outreach programs.
Lang Lang gives master classes regularly throughout the world, including at the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, Manhattan School of Music and all the top conservatories of China, where he has received numerous honorary professorships.
Lang Lang makes his Oregon Symphony debut at this evening’s concert. Further information on the web: langlang.com.