Pianist Lang Lang
Genius Pianist -- Once in Lifetime
"I'm touched by Lang Lang's music.
There's something special about it. It has a quality unique only to Chinese
artists, and few at that¡Lang is very amazing; his ability is beyond belief.
Though he seldom takes part in competitions, he doesn't need to any more¡ such
genius appears only once in a lifetime in China."
The above are the words of Fu Cong, a piano master in China. The famous
Chinese conductor Tan Dun also said that he was sure that Lang was one of the
contemporary outstanding pianists. Lang was also picked as one of 20 youth who
would change the world by the American magazine Teen People.
Such comments were made after Lang showed his piano talents to the world. In
July 2002 when the Schleswig-Holstein Festival was held, he won the inaugural
Leonard Bernstein Award, which was established for professional artists. This
proves that both domestic and overseas musical circles recognize Lang's gift and
achievements in piano.
Lang's musical life and enlightenment started at an early age. He began
learning music when he was three, and only a year later, received instruction
from Zhu Yafen, a professor in the Shenyang
Conservatory of Music. Later he was admitted by the Central
Conservatory of Music and taught by Professor Zhao Pingguo. Later still,
Ying Chengzong, a famous pianist in China, discovered Lang's intelligence in
piano and offered to teach him for free.
In 1996, 14-year-old Lang was admitted into the Curtis Institute of Music in
the United States and was taught by Gary Graffman, a well-known master pianist
and the head of the college. In such a way, a series of doors leading to the
palace of music opened to Lang one after another. There is a legend to how
Lang's professional performance began. In August 1999 when the Ravinia Festival
was held, Lang was chosen to fill in for the famous musician Andre Watts, who
was unable at that time to play the piano onstage. Lang conquered the audience
and his performance made a dramatic splash. Since then, Lang has become more and
more popular in the musical world, and his concerts have ranked among the top of
European and American box offices.
Even US President George W. Bush and his father once listened to him.
According to Phoenix Satellite Television, before Lang started his performance,
President Bush said emotionally that his performance was enchanting. The
president added that the Chinese Culture Festival had made a positive
contribution to Sino-American cultural exchanges.
|