Lang Lang
Lang Lang, 29, continues to play sold out recitals and concerts in every major city in the
world.
In 2009, Lang Lang appeared in Time magazine's annual list of the 100 Most
Influential People in the World. The year before, more than four billion people viewed his
performance during the Opening Ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games, where he was seen
as a symbol of the youth and the future of China. This status has inspired over 40 million
Chinese children to learn to play classical piano-a phenomenon that has inspired what
The Today Show has referred to as "the Lang Lang effect." Recognizing Lang
Lang's powerful cultural influence, the Recording Academy named him its Cultural Ambassador
to China in 2008. More recently, Lang Lang was chosen as an official worldwide ambassador
to the 2010 Shanghai Expo, and played at the opening ceremony.
Lang Lang has made it his mission to broaden the reach of classical music around the world,
focusing specifically on children. In 2004, he was appointed an International Goodwill
Ambassador for the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). In 2008, he established the Lang
Lang International Music Foundation, with the mission of inspiring the next generation of
classical music lovers and performers by cultivating tomorrow's top pianists, championing
music education at the forefront of technology, and building a young audience through live
music experiences. In 2011, the Lang Lang Music World-a multi-function arts complex in
China-was launched to share the pianist's global view, experiences, and knowledge by
nurturing and providing exclusive opportunities for young talent through its unique
platform.
Lang Lang began playing piano at the age of three. His break into stardom came at age 17,
when he was called upon to make a dramatic last-minute substitution at the "Gala of the
Century" concert, playing a Tchaikovsky concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. As
Chairman of the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award Project, Lang Lang celebrates
another aspect of arts commitment. He also currently serves on Carnegie Hall's Weill Music
Institute Advisory Council and is the youngest member of Carnegie Hall's Artistic Advisory
Board. He has been named as one of the 250 Young Global Leaders picked by the World
Economic Forum and received the 2010 Crystal Award in Davos.
Lang Lang's biography, Journey of a Thousand Miles, was released to critical
acclaim and has been published in 11 languages. 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.
Visit langlang.com for more information.