Last week I had the privilege to be invited by Montblanc San Francisco to a magical evening for Lang Lang first opening solo Piano Concerto of a week-long residency with the San Francisco Symphony, including performances with the Orchestra, chamber music with SFS musicians and lecture-recital programs for middle-school and high-school music students. All the events were sold out.This amazing genius was born in 1982 in Shenyang, China, Lang Lang began piano lessons at age of three; two years later he won the Shenyang Piano Competition and played his first public recital. At nine he entered Beijing’s Central Music Conservatory. At the age of fourteen he was a featured soloist in the China National Symphony’s inaugural concert, and the following year he began studies with Gary Graffman at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.
He made his first San Francisco Symphony debut in October 2000 returning after that last April, when he was soloist with the Orchestra in music by Beethoven.In 2007 he appeared at the Nobel Prize concert in Stockholm, 2008 joined the Vienna Philharmonic for a celebratory concert at the end of the Euro Cup finals. He appeared in New York’s Central Park this summer and subsequently auctioned the piano he played in that concert to support Red Cross earthquake relief efforts in China.
Lang Lang records include Beethoven’s Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 4 with the Orchestre de Paris as well as appearances on the soundtrack of The Painted Veil (whose score won a Golden Glove award). His latest recording with the Vienna Philharmonic features Chopin’s Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2.
After his recital, we were invited to a champagne reception with the young artist and he was the kindest, accessible and fun person to be around with.
I can’t stop listening to his CD’s ………. Treat yourself and get one!
By Maria Barrios Ehmer & http://www.conciergesolutions-sf.com/
