LANG LANG
ONCE THE BOY WONDER OF CLASSICAL MUSIC, SUPERSTAR PIANIST LANG LANG NOW TEMPERS HIS FLAMBOYANT VIRTUOSITY WITH A NEW-FOUND INTELLECTUAL RIGOUR, AND IS DEVOTING MORE ENERGY TO HIS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Music is the key
One of the most famous classical musicians in the world today – and certainly one the best-known concert pianists – Lang Lang, who took up the instrument at the age of three and was performing and winning competitions just two years later, is, at the age of 37, something of a phenomenon. Named by Time magazine in 2009 as one of the 100 Most 1nAE]ential 8eople in tPe ?orld Pe¼s played Nor princes presidents and prime ministers, and has been repeatedly praised not only for his absolute mastery of his chosen instr]ment J]t also Nor Pis tireless e ٺ orts as an ed]cator and populariser of classical music, which can only be described as evangelical.
Born in the northern Chinese industrial city of Shenyang in 1982, as a child he was driven mercilessly by his policeman NatPer wPo¼d decided tPat Pis son wo]ld Jecome the greatest classical musician in the country. In the event – and after one major hiccup when, at the age of nine, he was told Jy Pis tPen teacPer tPat Pe¼d ne^er maSe it as a concert pianist – he achieved much more than that. In his mid-teens he and his father left the Beijing slum where tPey¼d Jeen li^inO and mo^ed to tPe =nited ;tates 4anO Lang enrolled at the famous Curtis Institute of Music in 8PiladelpPia and two years later J]rst on to tPe international stage after standing in with the Chicago ;ympPony 7rcPestra Nor a sicS )ndru ?atts
;ince tPen Pe¼s li^ed liSe a rocS star PoJnoJJinO witP rappers and superstars of sport, with whose lifestyles he oNten identifies 3nown initially Nor Pis dabblinO tecPniY]e and deeply emotional interpretations of the romantic repertoire, including works by Chopin, Rachmaninov and 1n 0onO 3onO Nor a pri^ate perNormance earlier tPis year Lang Lang found time to sit for an exclusive photo shoot with Prestige, talking to everyone and delighting them with his easy charm and self-deprecatory humour. Although now nearer 40 than 30, he brimmed with an enthusiasm that can only be called boyish, revealing himself to be a born communicator and talking at length – and in an accent located midway in tPe 8acific Jetween +Pina and 6ortP America – about his educational foundation and its frankly inspirational aim to spread a knowledge and love of music to young people around the world. When you look back on your life, does it surprise you how far you’ve come and where you find yourself now? AeaP it¼s a maRor s]rprise act]ally 1 always dreamed wPen 1 was a kid of having a good career, a good life as an artist, and 1¼m Nort]nate to Pa^e acPie^ed tPat 1t wasn¼t easy – it was very challenging – but at the end of the day I was lucky, because I made my career and that dream has turned into something even more exciting. After growing a little older 1¼m doinO e^en more e`citinO tPinOs so yes it¼s Jeen Y]ite a surprise. Was there a time when you thought you wouldn’t achieve your ambition to become a concert pianist? 1t¼s wPat 1 always tPo]OPt 1 was OoinO to do in my liNe although there were two periods when I had second thoughts. ?Pen 1 was nine years old 1 tPo]OPt tPat 1¼d proJaJly ne^er maSe it aNter my teacPer in *eiRinO Jasically fired me Cla]OPsE – 1 tPo]OPt tPen tPat mayJe 1 didn¼t Pa^e a cPance