Important Milestones in the Life and Career of Lang Lang

• Lang Lang is born on June 14th, 1982 in Shenyang
• In 1985, he begins studying piano under the tutorship of Professor Zhu Ya-Fen from the City of Shenyang Music Conservatory.
• In 1987, he wins First Prize in the Shenyang Piano Competition. Following this, he gives his first piano recital and receives a scholarship for gifted children.
• In 1991, Lang Lang begins his piano studies at the Central Music Conservatory in Peking under the direction of Professor Zhao Ping-Guo. He wins the “5th Xing Hai Cup Piano Competition” in Peking.
• In 1994, he sets off on his first journey to Europe and wins the 4th International Competition for Young Pianists in Ettlingen, Germany.
• In 1995, Lang Lang performs Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Japan with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. In the same year at the age of 13, he masterfully interprets all 24 “Etudes” by Frederic Chopin.
• In 1996, Lang Lang persuasively demonstrates his talent as a soloist at the opening concert of the National Chinese Symphony Orchestra. Even President Jiang Ze-Min is in attendance as a Guest of Honor.
• In 1997, he travels to America and begins studying under Gary Graffman at the renowned Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.
• 1999 is Lang Lang’s big breakthrough. At the Ravinia Festival “Gala of the Century”, Lang Lang stands in for soloist André Watts, who has been taken ill, and performs Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 together with the Chicago Symphony. This triumphant and unforeseen performance by Lang Lang is greeted by glowing reviews in the media, including the Chicago Tribune’s declaration of him as the “greatest, most exciting talent for years”. This lays the cornerstone for an international career, which has been followed ever since with one acclaimed concert after the other.
• In 2001, Lang Lang performs together with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Wolfgang Sawallisch at Peking’s Great Hall of the People. 8000 listeners attend the concert.
• In 2001/ 2002, he makes his debut at the BBC Proms in London. He additionally plays Wigmore Hall in London, the Kennedy Center in Washington and at the Louvre in Paris. He tours throughout Europe with Christoph Eschenbach and the NDR Symphony Orchestra.
  He continues to expand his popularity in Asia through performances with the NHK Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Charles Dutoit, which are broadcast nationwide in Japan by NHK Television.
• In 2002, Lang Lang is the first recipient awarded the newly established Leonard Bernstein Prize, sponsored by the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, for his extraordinary musical talent. Four years after his international breakthrough, Lang Lang is again at the Ravinia Festival, this time for an entire week and with a total of 5 concerts.
• In 2002/2003, Lang Lang performs in America with a variety of renowned orchestras and conductors, such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta, as well as the Philadelphia and Cleveland Orchestras. He additionally goes on tour with Lorin Maazel and the New York Philharmonic throughout Asia and gives piano recitals in North America, Europe and Asia. The magazine “Teens People” names Lang Lang one of the “20 Teens Who Will Change The World”.
• In 2003, Lang Lang records his debut CD for Deutsche Grammophon. It subsequently occupies the top spot on the classical charts for more than 40 weeks.
  Lang Lang gives his recital debut at Carnegie Hall in New York and concludes his studies with Gary Graffman.
• In 2004, the live recording of the concert at Carnegie Hall is released as a CD, which even manages to enter the German pop charts. A DVD of the performance is also released. Lang Lang performs for the first with the Berlin Philharmonic. UNICEF appoints him at its youngest ambassador, and Lang Lang commits himself to the battle against malaria in Tanzania. In June of 2006, Lang Lang performs at the season closing concert of the Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle at the Waldbühne in Berlin. The concert is broadcast worldwide on television. Lang Lang receives the Echo Classics Award as the “Instrumentalist of the Year”.
• In 2004/2005, Lang Lang tours through Europe, Asia and America, performing with numerous distinguished orchestras and conductors In the summer he performs at “The Concert for Europe” with the Vienna Philharmonic in Schönbrunn. The concert is attended by 100,000 listeners and broadcast worldwide on television. German President Horst Köhler invites Lang Lang to perform for Chinese President Hu Jintao in honor of an official state visit. Lang Lang performs at the White House for George and Laura Bush and selected guests.