ARTISTS

Considered by the New York Times as the “hottest artist on the classical music planet”, 25-year-old Lang Lang has played sold out recital and concerts in every major city in the world and is the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic and all the top American orchestras. He has worked with the world´s best orchestras under the most renowned conductors, including Maestros Ashkenazy, Barenboim, Chailly, Sir Colin Davis, Dutoit, Eschenbach, Gergiev, Jansons, Levine, Mehta, Maazel, Welser-Möst, Muti, Nagano, Ozawa, Sir Simon Rattle, Salonen, Slatkin, Temirkanov and Tilson-Thomas.
 
Lang Lang has crossed continents several times during 2007 and performed in numerous cities around the world. Notably, in the summer of 2007, Lang Lang performed open-air concerts to tens of thousands of people, including at Berlin´s famous Waldbühne, where he performed with Maestro Barenboim and the Berlin Staatskaeplle. At the invitation of H.R.H. Prince Charles, Lang Lang performed a Piano Concerto commissioned in memory of the Queen Mother and recently appeared as part of Great Britain´s Royal Variety Show that was attended by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and broadcast to 13 million people. Earlier, in the fall, he performed 10 piano concertos to mark the 10th anniversary of the Beijing International Festival as well as the 20th anniversary of his stage appearance and performed at the opening concert for the Rome Film Festival. Most recently, Lang Lang was the guest soloist at the Nobel Prize Concert held in Stockholm on 8 December 2007, which was attended by the Nobel Laureates and members of the Royal family.
 
Performance highlights in 2008 include the New Year´s Eve opening of the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing with Seiji Ozawa, a concert with the Vienna Philharmonic around the closing of the Euro Cup in front of the Schönbrunn Palace, an open-air tour including concerts in New York´s Central Park, the Hollywood Bowl, Chicago´s Ravinia Festival, Dresden and Hamburg. For the Vienna Philharmonic´s 2008 New Year´s Eve concert broadcast he introduced the performance of the “Chinese gallop”, Op. 20 by Johann Strauss. He will also participate in a special concert with Cecilia Bartoli and Maxim Vengerov in winter ‘08 honoring Maria Malibran, has a 12-city U.S. recital tour that includes a concert at Carnegie Hall as part of their Great Artists Series and a tour to the past Summer Olympic cities with the China Philharmonic. Later in the year he will perform as well a solo recital at the London Proms.
 
Lang Lang began playing piano at the age of 3, won the Shenyang competition and gave his first public recital at the age of 5. When he was 9 he entered Beijing´s Central Music Conservatory. He went on to win first prize at the Tchaikovsky International Young Musicians Competition and played the complete 24 Etudes of Chopin at the Beijing Concert Hall at 13. At 17, Lang Lang´s break into stardom came when he was called upon for a dramatic last-minute substitution at the “Gala of the Century” where he played the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Chicago Symphony. Following this gigantic debut, he performed successful concerts around the world, leaving the London Times remarking: “Lang Lang took a sold-out Albert Hall by storm… This could well be history in the making.” He has appeared twice on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, on Good Morning America, and 60 Minutes. Lang Lang is featured in every major TV network, news and lifestyle magazines worldwide, including Vogue, GQ, Die Welt, Reader´s Digest and People. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as the “biggest, most exciting keyboard talent encountered in many years,” Lang Lang has progressed from one triumphant appearance to the next.
 
Lang Lang has performed for global leaders around the world including Prince Albert II of Monaco, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, President George H. W. Bush, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, President Hu Jin-Tao of China, President Horst Koehler of Germany, President Abdul Kalam of India, H.R.H. Prince Charles, as well as President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
 
In 2004, he was appointed International Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Children´s Fund (UNICEF). As a result of his enormous popularity with children, Steinway created the “Lang Lang Steinway” designed in 5 different types for the early musical education of children. This is the first time Steinway has used an artist´s name to produce pianos in it´s 150 year history. With this devotion to children in mind the Lang Lang International Music Foundation has been founded on and dedicated to expanding young audiences and inspiring the next generation of musicians through its various outreach programs. He currently serves on the Weill Music Institute (WMI) Advisory Committee as part of Carnegie Hall´s educational program and is the youngest member of Carnegie Hall´s Artistic Advisory Board. Lang Lang is proud to be the global brand ambassador for Audi automobiles and Montblanc, and is the Chairman of the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award Project.
 
Lang Lang is featured soloist on the Golden Globe winning score; “The Painted Veil” composed by Alexandre Deslpat and can be heard on the soundtrack of “The Banquet” composed by Tan Dun.
 
Lang Lang records exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon/Universal. Every CD he has made has entered the top classical charts as well as many pop charts around the globe. Lang Lang´s newest release: Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4 with Orchestre de Paris and Maestro Christoph Eschenbach debuted at #1 on the Classical Billboard Chart. Lang Lang also appeared on Billboard´s New Artist chart at the highest position for any classical artist. A review from Amazon.com proclaimed, "What a beautiful recording! These are superb performances, and the sonics are gloriously rich." He was recently nominated for a Grammy due to his work on the new release and is the first Chinese artist to be nominated for Best Instrumental Soloist. He has also been named an honoree for the Recording Academy´s Presidential Merit Award. His previous release, “Dragon Songs”, departs from the western music of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Mozart and Liszt for which he is most known and takes Lang Lang´s audience on a groundbreaking journey through “his” China in this documentary film on DVD and soundtrack album. 2008 will feature a new recording with the Vienna Philharmonic of Chopin´s 1st & 2nd Piano Concertos.
 
Lang Lang received honorary professorships at all the top conservatories in China where he gives Master Classes regularly, as well as at Julliard, the Curtis Institute and Hannover.