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Now it's time for our special series - Movers and Shakers, as we meet some of those who have made remarkable contributions to the Chinese economy and society, during the country's reform and opening-up. In today's episode, we talk to Lang Lang, the only Chinese pianist who has performed with leading orchestras in the United States, Europe and Canada, in addition to his native China. We'll take a look at what the reform and opening up policy has meant for his career and how Lang Lang has decided to give back.
The Vienna Philharmonic performed in Shanghai on December 1.
For 36-year-old Lang Lang, the first Chinese concert pianist to work with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic and other top American orchestras, this is not unusual, but getting this far was definitely not easy.
LANG LANG PIANIST "You can have an overnight fortune, but no overnight career."
Born in 1982, Lang Lang started playing piano when he was three years old. Believe it or not, he was inspired by the Tom and Jerry cartoons, one of the few TV series imported from the United States in China in the 1980s. According to Lang Lang, the episode The Cat Concerto, which features Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, was his first contact with Western classical music. It also motivated him to learn the piano.
LANG LANG "The Cat Concerto from Tom and Jerry, the cartoon movie, I can still feel that it just happened yesterday."
From then on, he practiced piano EVERY single day.
When he was nine years old, Lang moved to Beijing with his father, who had quit his job. He continued his studies in the Central Conservatory of Music, the country's most prestigious music school. Realizing that he was competing with musical talents from all over China, he practiced even harder.
LANG LANG "I'd better catch up fast because they are all playing amazingly well."
Beijing in the 1990s was becoming more vibrant. People had more choices and more opportunities to make better lives for themselves, while the younger generation was eager to learn about the outside world. In 1985, China opened its doors to those who wanted to study abroad at their own expense. Lang Lang was one of them. After six years of hard work and struggling together with his father in Beijing, during which he won major competitions including the Xinghai National Piano Competition in 1993 as well as first prize for outstanding artistic performance at the 4th International Competition for Young Pianists in Ettlingen, Germany in 1994, Lang Lang was ready to take the next step.
LANG LANG "This is the Curtis Institute of Music. I'm here to study piano with the headmaster and my teacher, Gary Graffman."
As THE saying goes, "Hard work pays off". In 1997, at 15 years of age, Lang began his further studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
LANG LANG PIANIST "I was very lucky because I had the best teacher in the world. I learned a lot of goodies, the real juice of music from him. Once you're ready, there are always opportunities and you have to catch it."
Good things always tend to come in pairs. Lang got the opportunity of a lifetime ONLY three months after he arrived in America. Lang could barely hide his excitement when he spoke of the biggest moment of his career in an interview years ago.
News anchors: 'Lang Lang' 'Lang Lang' 'Lang Lang'
Lang Lang: "Wish me luck."
It was then that Lang's professional career officially began. He would perform all over the world on average 120 times every year. It was a time in which he himself also did some growing up. In 2008, the young pianist established the Lang Lang International Music Foundation and started the "Keys of Inspiration" music class program in 2013 with the objective of igniting children's passion for music. Lang believes that every kid has the right to learn music. His foundation is expected to help children around the world aim for a better future.
LANG LANG PIANIST "We, as a person who has benefited so much from music making, we should take the lead and give back to the society. In terms of the method, how to build more interesting, more enjoyable classes."
This is a class for 7-year-olds in New York. There are currently 40 classes like this across the United States, teaching 16,000 students from eight different states. The Lang Lang Foundation even hosted a gala this October in New York attended by some of the city's biggest philanthropists to further promote the project.
UPSOUND LANG LANG "Without music, I don't think we have the same world. Music can melt out heart and music makes us stronger people."
Lang Lang has been traveling around the world for the last 20 years, but NEVER misses the opportunity to spread the culture of where he comes from. Lang is very active on social networks, where once a week he holds a "Mandarin Monday" short Chinese course. With hundreds of millions of social network users in China alone, there can be little doubt about his popularity.
LANG LANG PIANIST "Something very simple. Like food, jiaozi: dumpling; baozi: round dumpling."
LANG LANG PIANIST "In a way, you can understand Chinese culture through English or English translation. But it's really different when you speak the language."
As well as being talented, hard-working and famous, Lang Lang also has a sense of responsibility. In addition to the many prizes he's won, Lang Lang has been crowned with numerous accolades. These include being appointed the International Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations' Children's Fund in 2004, an appearance in Time magazine's 2009 list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World as well as being made the vice president of the All China Youth Federation by the Chinese government.
Lang confessed that the he feels the pressure of the great responsibility he has been given.
LANG LANG PIANIST "Our generation who's born after the 1980s, we were so lucky in a way that we've got all the opportunities. We are the only kid, right. But on the other hand, we took all the pressure."
"When you drink the water, think of those who dug the well". This is a motto that Lang Lang has always held dear to his heart. After all, as he puts it, being a responsible human being is always more important than being a pianist.