Lang Lang (born June 14, 1982, in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China) is a Chinese virtuoso pianist and one of the most renowned classical musicians of the 21st century. His playing is distinguished by extraordinary technique, emotional depth, and artistry, making him a symbol of a new wave of classical music popularization.
He began his musical education at the age of three. By five, he was already performing in concerts, and at nine, he won a national competition for young pianists. In 1997, he moved to the United States to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia under the tutelage of the famous professor Gary Graffman.
Lang Lang gained international fame in 1999 after his sensational debut at the Century Gala Concert in Chicago, where he replaced André Watts and performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Since then, he has performed with the world’s leading orchestras — the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the New York Philharmonic — under the direction of conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Valery Gergiev, and Simon Rattle.
Career and Achievements
Lang Lang is an active ambassador of classical music, blending it with modern art forms. He has performed at the Olympic Games, the Grammy Awards, and MTV Awards, and has collaborated with pop artists such as Pharrell Williams, Metallica, and Andrea Bocelli.
He became the first Chinese pianist to sign a contract with Deutsche Grammophon and regularly releases albums that become bestsellers in the classical music segment.
Beyond his concert career, Lang Lang is deeply involved in philanthropy. In 2008, he founded the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, which supports young musicians around the world.
Selected Discography
Studio Albums
-
Lang Lang Live at Carnegie Hall (2003)
-
The Chopin Album (2012)
-
Lang Lang in Paris (2015)
-
Piano Book (2019)
-
The Disney Book (2022)
Live Recordings
-
Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn Piano Concertos (2004)
-
Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 (2008)
-
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 (2013)
Educational Projects
-
Lang Lang Masterclass Series
-
The Lang Lang Piano Academy (educational collections for beginner pianists)
Interesting Facts
-
Included in the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people.
-
Performed at the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Beijing (2008) and Sochi (2014).
-
Holds the title of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
-
His hands are insured for millions of dollars.
-
Lang Lang became the first classical pianist to perform at the Grammy Awards.
-
Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
