1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk, I'm buzz night and this is the 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Take in a Walk podcast. Now there are pianists and 3 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: then there is Lang Lang. Born in Shenyang, China, in 4 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty two, he has become one of the most 5 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: electrifying classical artists of all time, A force of nature 6 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,760 Speaker 1: at the keyboard who has performed with virtually every major 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: orchestra on Earth. He sold out Carnegie Hall, He's played 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: for presidents and popes, and he's inspired what observers have 9 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: called the Lang Lang Effect, a tidal wave of children 10 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: taking up piano lessons across China and around the world. 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: His journey to the top has been nothing short of extraordinary. 12 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: He was just seventeen years old when he stepped in 13 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: as a last minute substitute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra 14 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: or a performance of Tchaikowsky's first Piano Concerto, and then 15 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 1: he became an overnight sensation. 16 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 2: Since then, he's. 17 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 1: Jammed with Metallica at the Grammy Awards, he performed alongside 18 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: Herbie Hancock and countless legends, and collaborated with everyone from 19 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 1: Alicia Keys to Jimmy Fallon. Most recently, lang Lang performed 20 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 1: on one of the biggest stages in the world, the 21 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: opening ceremony of the twenty twenty six Winter Olympics in Milan, 22 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: and in October twenty twenty five, he released Piano Book two, 23 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: follow up to his landmark twenty nineteen album that has 24 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: now surpassed one billion streams globally and become one of 25 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: the best selling classical albums of the twenty first century. 26 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: We'll talk to Lang Lang Dext on the Taken a 27 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: Walk Podcast. Taking a Walk, Lang, Lang, it's an honor 28 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: to welcome you to the Taken a Walk Podcast. 29 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me. 30 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: So you started playing piano at the age of three. 31 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: What was your earliest memory of sitting down at the keys? 32 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: Was it was a joy? Were you being pushed towards 33 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: something you didn't quite understand? 34 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 2: Tell us about that. So, I actually had a piano 35 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 2: already at the age of one, and then at two 36 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 2: and a half, I'm already starting to sit on the 37 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 2: piano kind of playing some notes and learning, learning where 38 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: are the notes? So so I actually enjoyed it very 39 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 2: much in the very beginning. And also I was watching 40 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: a lot of cartoons kind of related to music, like 41 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 2: Tom and Jerry and some others. And then but then 42 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 2: I had actually a professional teacher at the age of three. 43 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 2: So I started to read they sit down to learn 44 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 2: the positions of the hands, and yeah, and starting playing 45 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:13,679 Speaker 2: some simple songs and yeah, in the beginning I liked 46 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 2: very much. I felt quite genuine to start playing. So 47 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 2: I didn't I didn't feel this was hard in the beginning. 48 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: So at seventeen, you got the call to sub for 49 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: Andre Watts with the Chicago Symphony. Can you walk us 50 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: back to that night? What was going through your mind 51 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: when you walked out onto that stage. 52 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. So I was taking an audition two days before 53 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 2: that concert at Ravinia in Chicago, and I never I 54 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: never even realized that it. After two days, I will 55 00:03:55,120 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: play already with the Great Chicago Symphony at the very 56 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: special gala concert. It was called the Gala of the Century. 57 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: It was really with Isaac Stern being the matherier, with 58 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 2: all the greatest musician Leon Fleischer, Alicia di la Rocha 59 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:21,840 Speaker 2: and all these incredible musicians on the same same concert. 60 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 2: And uh, and I thought that was was my moment. 61 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 2: And if I I thought, if i I'm doing it right, 62 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,919 Speaker 2: my career will we'll start. 63 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: Were you in the zone the way that athletes talk 64 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: about being in the zone at that moment, was there. 65 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 2: Something that It's like You're in a bench as a 66 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 2: striker or as a some very important athletes, and and 67 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 2: somehow you get this huge chance and then you went up, 68 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 2: you went out and made the go. You know that 69 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 2: that kind of thing is exactly like that. 70 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: So you were the first Chinese pianist ever engaged by 71 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 1: the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. What did that 72 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: mean to you personally and what do you think it 73 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: meant to classical music as a whole. 74 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 2: It means a lot. I mean, of course, to to 75 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 2: work with the best offices stress in the world, you 76 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: really have to have some luck to to to have 77 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 2: this great opportunities. And I was very lucky as a 78 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 2: early twentieth already playing with those the top or hour 79 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 2: Strauss in the world. And but of course to play 80 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: with them once it's a good story. But the important 81 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 2: thing is how to not just play with them once, 82 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: but to keep playing for many times, many years. And 83 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 2: actually last night I played with Vienna f Harmonic in Boston, 84 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 2: and the night before we were at Carnegie Hall. We 85 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:16,039 Speaker 2: were doing this US tour with the VNF. You so 86 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 2: after so many years, it's already after twenty one years, 87 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 2: we're still doing tour together, and I think that's really 88 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 2: something that I feel very proud. 89 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: Congratulations on Piano Book two. It just came out in 90 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: October twenty twenty five. The first Piano Book has already 91 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 1: passed a billion I love saying that a billion streams. 92 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: What made you feel the time was right for a 93 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: second volume and what do you want this one to 94 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: say that the first one maybe didn't say? 95 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:58,480 Speaker 2: We I mean, we were very overwhelmed by the reception 96 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: from the Piano Book. Uh, now we call Piano Book one, right, Yeah, 97 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 2: and it was really bringing a lot of music lovers 98 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 2: to classical music h to take piano lessons and to 99 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: feel the great piano repertoire from for Elise to the 100 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 2: great composers from today. Yeah, and so so the in 101 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: a way that that album really made a huge impact 102 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 2: within the piano world. 103 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 3: Uh. 104 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 2: And then after seven years after we thought this is 105 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: a good time to do a second one, But of 106 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 2: course it's more challenging. Well, when you had such a 107 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 2: big success from the first time, it's always much more 108 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 2: challenging for the for the second time, but we have 109 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 2: the same kind of idea to do the Piano Book 110 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 2: two with a similar repertoire ideas, but this time we 111 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 2: also added new compositions from today's UH composers like Tony 112 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 2: ann Uh this equus incredible piece. And we also may 113 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 2: also included some of the Japanese anime music, gaming music 114 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 2: in addition to the Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Mendicin's master pieces. 115 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 2: So they increased a little bit of the repertoire directions, 116 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 2: but the idea is very similar to bring piano music 117 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 2: to every family. Hold that this is you know what 118 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 2: we're trying to do, make classical music very accessible, and 119 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 2: I you know, and I really hope you know, we 120 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 2: will have a similar success from Piano Book two incomparable 121 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 2: to Piano Book one in the past. 122 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: So it really is important for you to be widening 123 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: the music category. 124 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, that's exactly the mission for this project. 125 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: Do you ever feel that classical purists push back at 126 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: that because of some of those choices, And if they do, 127 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: what do you what do you say to them? 128 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 2: I think it's okay because we already had the piano 129 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 2: book one in the past. So somehow I think I 130 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 2: don't really get so much of uh, this type of 131 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: critic these days. But it is important to share the 132 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 2: message to not only the great classical music fans, but 133 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 2: also to to send out to the broad broader music communities, 134 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 2: for people to kind of have a confidence to learn 135 00:09:55,640 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 2: classical piano and to to feel very connected rather than 136 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:07,079 Speaker 2: you know, this is a some type of very distant 137 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 2: music to today's society. And I think I'm old enough 138 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 2: to to prove that. Actually, my intention is very clear, 139 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 2: is that I really want to expand classical music to 140 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 2: a bigger areas. 141 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:27,319 Speaker 3: Yeah. 142 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, but as a musician, I am a complete classical pianist, 143 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 2: and and I think people knows about it. 144 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: I think what's really fascinating about your journey is how 145 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: connected you are to your to your fans. You curated 146 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: this album partly based on fan messages. What were some 147 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: of the most surprising requests you got from the people 148 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: who love your music. 149 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 2: I mean, there are a lot of kids want to 150 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 2: play some music from the game gaming world today, so 151 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 2: that's why I felt it's quite interesting. So how to 152 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 2: put those melodies into classical music style? You know, so 153 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 2: we still need them to feel great within the classical 154 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 2: music style rather than I'm playing electronic music, you know, 155 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 2: so it has to be come to us, to the 156 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,680 Speaker 2: style that I'm very familiar with, and so this is 157 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 2: the idea. Yeah, but the choices are quite interesting that 158 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 2: we realized that the piano repertoire become already much bigger 159 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 2: than twenty years ago, thirty years ago, even ten years ago. 160 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 2: You know, people are not only in just trying to 161 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 2: learn the great music from Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, but also 162 00:11:54,640 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 2: the younger generation wants something from their generations, from their world, 163 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 2: their musical taste. So we have to learn what do 164 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 2: they really want to know those days, we'll. 165 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 3: Be right back with more the Taking a Walk Podcast. 166 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 3: Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 167 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,199 Speaker 1: I have chills thinking about you performing at the opening 168 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: ceremony of the twenty twenty six Winter Olympics in Milan. 169 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: You just radiate so much joy when when you're up there, 170 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: and it was fascinating and beautiful watching you. You also 171 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: played at the two thousand and eight Beijing Summer Olympics 172 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: opening ceremony. Yes, what is it like performing for a 173 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: global audience of hundreds of millions of people. Is there 174 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: is there a different sort of pressure that comes with 175 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:55,959 Speaker 1: that stage? 176 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is. It is a very overwhelmed me. It's 177 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 2: everything is just beyond the beyond numbers. 178 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 3: You know. 179 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 2: I mean, you're there, but you realize the entire world 180 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 2: is watching somehow, So it's a it's not like you're there, 181 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 2: you know that the audience are watching, but somehow you're there, 182 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 2: you know, you know, there's the broadcast is all over 183 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 2: the world, in every country. Basically. Yeah, but for me 184 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty six, it's much more relaxed than two 185 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 2: thousand and eight. That was my first time playing, and 186 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 2: it's also it was in Beijing, where I grew up, 187 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 2: and so it was it was really my first big 188 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 2: experience of playing with so many people. So so I 189 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 2: was actually more more nervous at that that moment. And 190 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 2: also because I was working with a little girl and 191 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:00,839 Speaker 2: then she was she was trying to escape from the performance. 192 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 2: She wanted to go home. Actually she said, it's too hard, 193 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: I want to have ice cream and I want to 194 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 2: go home. So so so I had a I had 195 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,559 Speaker 2: I was the kind of a half babysitter on that show. 196 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 2: You know, but nevertheless, it was a maazing experience of course. Uh, 197 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 2: and this time was slightly different. I'm working with my 198 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 2: favorite singer, Chichilia Bartley, the most amazing Italian opera star, 199 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 2: and we were doing this kind of ceremonial type of thing. 200 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 2: This was the Olympic hymn, and then you see like 201 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 2: people are carry the Olympic flag. So it's I felt 202 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 2: that the world kind of walk to one place. You know. 203 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 2: I really felt that this time it was a very 204 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 2: you know, it's quite a holy spirit. You know, it 205 00:14:55,680 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 2: was a very ceremonial this time, very very beautiful, genuine 206 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 2: and peaceful. Yeah, that's what I felt. So so, I know, 207 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 2: it was very cold, you know, it is like winter 208 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 2: only big so so my mind was extremely fresh. You know, 209 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 2: it's like you can be more clear than my mind 210 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 2: a night. It was like so clear. 211 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: I found it therapeutic, especially at this time in the 212 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: way that the world is. 213 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was, it was. 214 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: It really was therapeutic. And I know we touched on 215 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: the zone and the way athletes perform. So of course, 216 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: you know, the Olympics are about peak performance and athletic excellence. 217 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: Years of sacrifice to get to one defining moment. So 218 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: talk about those parallels with elite athletes and what you 219 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: have gone through in your journey. 220 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 2: Yes, I find there are so many similarities between athletes 221 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 2: and musicians. We have to have such a hard training 222 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 2: and we have to be very strong as as someone 223 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 2: that you shouldn't give up easily. You know, you have 224 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 2: to just stay in the line and just keep pushing 225 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 2: and keep doing your best. And this is very similar 226 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 2: to the sports people. And then the second thing is 227 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 2: that it's a live performance. You know, the things you 228 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 2: can practice so well, but then on that day it's 229 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 2: about the moment of the performance. Yeah, and this is 230 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 2: something that you have to have a really big, big 231 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 2: heart to hold all those pressure and to be the 232 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 2: best you can be in that stage every four years, 233 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 2: you know, it's the Olympics that it's like it's in 234 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 2: a way, it's very very very hard. And this is 235 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 2: a bit like some of the biggest concert you know, 236 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 2: you've been meeting for four years, five years, and and 237 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 2: finally you you get you get to that stage and 238 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 2: you have to give the best. It's not like you 239 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 2: just gave half of your talent. No, you have to 240 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 2: give like a full capacity uh and and this is 241 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 2: a very very similar. And another thing is that in 242 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 2: a way, being a musicians and supports athletes, you're you're 243 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 2: you're also expressing humanity. You know, we will bringing world together. 244 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:41,639 Speaker 2: You're not just representing your country, but you're also a 245 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 2: world citizen. Uh and and this is somehow you're kind 246 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 2: of breaking the boundaries. Uh and And this is something 247 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 2: I think it's always great to be a musician or 248 00:17:55,880 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 2: ATHLETs that you're someone that you're kind of like a 249 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: bridge or like a messenger for culture, messenger for sports, 250 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 2: and it's a really great thing to do. 251 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: Did you get to enjoy any of the Olympic activities 252 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: aside from just performing? 253 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 2: I did a I mean this time, I actually only 254 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 2: stayed two days in Milan, and I went to Burning 255 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 2: with Burning phar Harmonic right after, so I didn't really 256 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 2: have time to watch the games. Yeah, but I did 257 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 2: spend some time in Milano, eating my favorite Italian spaghettis 258 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 2: and meeting some friend. We had some really nice reunion 259 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 2: of some of the friends. They were coming from different 260 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 2: parts of the world to celebrate the Olympics together, so 261 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 2: we had a nice time chatting, having coffee and express 262 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 2: some of our ideas. So yeah, this is the great 263 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 2: thing about Olympics is always you always learn a lot 264 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 2: from different people. And then in the past, from the 265 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,719 Speaker 2: last Summer Olympics, I went to some games. I went 266 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 2: to see some of my favorite team, favorite sports and 267 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 2: that was also fun, a lot of fun like volleyball 268 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:20,880 Speaker 2: or ping pong or Yeah. 269 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 1: The Lang Lang International Music Foundation is absolutely spectacular. You 270 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: founded it back in two thousand and eight. It now 271 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 1: operates in over one hundred schools across the US and 272 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: Europe through the Keys of Inspiration program. When you walk 273 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: into a public school and you see kids sitting down 274 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: at a row of pianos, what goes through your mind. 275 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 2: I just found that we have a responsibility to introduce 276 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: piano to more public schools, especially for more disadvantaged schools, 277 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,679 Speaker 2: because look, I mean, piano really take me to the 278 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 2: most amazing journey as a little boy from a city, 279 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,439 Speaker 2: industrial city in the north of China, my hometown, and 280 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 2: you get to the world stage and I'm sure, uh, 281 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:24,399 Speaker 2: this journey will take more kids around the world. And 282 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 2: if you have a dream, if you have a willingness 283 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 2: to to do what you love the most, and for me, 284 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,199 Speaker 2: it was always like making music. And I hope that 285 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 2: we will inspire so many others to achieve their dreams 286 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 2: through piano, through classical music, and that's our aim. 287 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: We produce this other podcast called Music Save Me, which 288 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 1: delves into the healing power that music has. Do you 289 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: believe music has therapeutic healing power? 290 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 2: Literally? Absolutely? We have a many of our kids who's 291 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 2: working under our programs are having some like some of 292 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 2: them are like having autism from a very young age, 293 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 2: and music really helped to fix some of their physical 294 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 2: problems and to make the much more open person. And 295 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 2: even for me, you know, like when I had a 296 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 2: not very present day, so I start playing bach and 297 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 2: somehow the healing power is just go through every elements 298 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 2: of my mind. It's just a magic. 299 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:53,880 Speaker 1: The Foundation's data shows that the Keys of Inspiration program 300 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: generates over sixty eight million dollars in annual value to 301 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 1: school community. These through saved private lesson fees. Yes, what's 302 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 1: the impact? You can't put a dollar sign on. What 303 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,959 Speaker 1: are you hearing from teachers and kids on the ground. 304 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 2: I mean what they were hearing is that most of 305 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 2: the kid under this program they did because of the 306 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 2: music studies they are much better in other subjects as 307 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:28,679 Speaker 2: well at the schools. And also they just like to 308 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 2: spend more time to be very creative person after this project, 309 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 2: and they can be much more concentrate on what they do. Yeah, 310 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 2: so this is the fact that they all report back 311 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 2: to our foundation after taking this program. 312 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: You've jammed with the Metallica at the Grammys. That was fantastic. 313 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 1: You've collaborated with the great Herbie Hancock, you partnered with 314 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:01,199 Speaker 1: Google on the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, and you perform for 315 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:07,199 Speaker 1: Pope Francis. Your career refuses to stay in any one lane. 316 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:12,680 Speaker 1: Is that relentlessness intentional or is it just who you are? 317 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 2: I mean, I try to do something very creative and 318 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 2: somehow if I'm able to connect to from my world 319 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 2: classical music world to some other very interesting world, I 320 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 2: would love to try it. But of course, after many 321 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 2: years of doing different things, I realized not everything works, 322 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 2: you know, so so but I still like to try 323 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 2: to have a different type of collaboration, but of course 324 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 2: I have to be focused more on classical music. So yeah, 325 00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 2: but all those great collaboration really me to a different dimension, 326 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,879 Speaker 2: you know, as a person as artist, and I always 327 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 2: felt quite quite lucky into in you know, in uh 328 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 2: far for that collaboration which we are able to create something. 329 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: If a young person listening right now has never set 330 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: foot inside a concert hall and maybe things classical music 331 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,360 Speaker 1: isn't for them, what would you say to get them 332 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:33,439 Speaker 1: to give it one listen? 333 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:39,120 Speaker 2: I would say that classical music can be just fun 334 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 2: as a hip hop as an American football game, and 335 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,640 Speaker 2: for me, maybe even more exciting. And I really love 336 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:53,200 Speaker 2: to share that excitement with them. 337 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: We had Chloe Flower previously on the Taking a Walk podcast. 338 00:24:58,560 --> 00:24:59,640 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if you know. 339 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 2: I know, I know, I actually measure several times. I 340 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 2: think la it was, but there was was quite a 341 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:10,880 Speaker 2: time ago. Yeah, but of course I know exactly. We'll talk. 342 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, so do you when you met up with her? 343 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: I mean, is there is that somebody that you've collaborated 344 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: with previously or you would collaborate with. 345 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:24,919 Speaker 2: It's it's it's a hard, hard one because I mean 346 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:26,679 Speaker 2: she's a very very sweet person. 347 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:26,879 Speaker 3: You know. 348 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 2: We we had a very nice conversation. Yeah, but we 349 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 2: didn't really talk about collaboration though. It was more about 350 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 2: you know, the view of music, about uh the music theme. 351 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, when you sit down at the piano today, just 352 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: for yourself, no audience, no cameras, no recording. What do 353 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 1: you play? 354 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 2: I just like to do the pieces that I'm actually 355 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 2: going to plain in the next week. So so that's 356 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:59,439 Speaker 2: like I'm now currently working on the Beto ensunatas not 357 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:03,479 Speaker 2: of beta for the next recording. So yeah, I have 358 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 2: to because you know the reality is that you have 359 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 2: to always be prepared for the next thing. You can't yeah, 360 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 2: go away from that. So I'm always very practical in 361 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 2: this way. 362 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: Before I let you go, since we do call this 363 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: podcast taking a Walk, I'd like to ask this question 364 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,400 Speaker 1: of guests, if you could take a walk with somebody 365 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: living or dead, who would you take a walk with? 366 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: And maybe where would you take that walk with him? 367 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 2: Oh, that's a that's a hard one. That's a really 368 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: hard one. No, I mean, I mean, certainly I would 369 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 2: love to to have a walk with Beethoven. I'm now 370 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 2: working with his a lot of his compositions, so I 371 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,919 Speaker 2: need to get better so with him. And then as 372 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 2: far as I would love to to have a walk 373 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 2: with Michael Jordan, I would really love to ask some 374 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 2: of his secret of being the best condition, you know, 375 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,360 Speaker 2: in every most important games. 376 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:16,159 Speaker 1: Lang, Lang, I can't tell you what a joy this 377 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: has been speaking with you. The music that you give 378 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: us is so joyful and so wonderful, and I'm so 379 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:29,680 Speaker 1: appreciative of it. Congratulations on everything, including piano book, to 380 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 1: the great work with the foundation, and please know you're 381 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,680 Speaker 1: always welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. Thank 382 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 1: you so. 383 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 2: Much, thank you so much, mass, thank you. 384 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: I'm Buzznight, and thanks for listening to the Taking a 385 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: Walk Podcast. Now, please check out our companion podcasts produced 386 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 1: by Buzznight Media Productions with your host Lynn Hoffman. Music 387 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 1: Save Me showcasing the healing power of music, and comedy 388 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: Save Me shining a light on how laughter is the 389 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:05,360 Speaker 1: best medicine. All shows are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify 390 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:08,680 Speaker 1: and are part of the iHeart podcast network.