Lang Lang

Lang Lang

Lang Lang was born on June 14th, 1982 and is currently 42 years old. Lang Lang was born in Shenyang, Liaoning, China.

Lang Lang is best known as a virtuoso pianist from China. He is a performer who garnered critical acclaim from across the globe while still in his teenage years. For his charisma and expressiveness, he would become one of the 21st century’s most sought-after performers.

He was only three years old when he began taking piano lessons and at age 5, he had his first public recital. It was not long before he was deemed a musical prodigy and aged just 13, he won the Tchaikovsky International Competition for Young Musicians. He has also performed at the China National Symphony Orchestra.

In 1997, he left China to move to the US where he studied under some noted pianists. Ultimately, he made his debut in the US playing for the Maryland-based Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He got rave reviews when he stepped in to play a Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikosvy piece when an ailing Andre Watts could not make it. This made him an international superstar.

Lang would establish himself as one of the most prominent performers in the classical music scene by the time he was in his early 20s. By then he had performed with some of the best conductors and orchestras and played in major concert halls in Asia, North America, and Europe.

Following his performance at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, he got invitations to play at notable events. He has performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in 2012, and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in 2009. He has also worked with artists such as Pharrell Williams and Metallica, the heavy metal band in the 2015 Grammy Awards.

Lang Lang published his debut book Lang Lang in 2008. This is an autobiography in which he describes how he won his first piano competition and only thought about one day becoming the best in the business. Even though he got so many accolades, he also had to deal with many challenges since he had to spend most of his childhood under the watch of a very strict father and away from his living and kind mother. He did all that so that he could achieve his dream of becoming a pianist of international renown and he ultimately achieved his goals.

The very same year he published his debut, he followed it up with Journey of a Thousand Miles. In this work, Lang Lang chronicles the story of a family that sacrifices everything including their marriage, financial security, and the child’s childhood since they believe in their son’s talent. It also reveals the intense and devastating relationship between a son and a father who would do anything to ensure his son became a superstar.

Lang Lang: F.A.Q