China’s piano virtuoso Lang Lang has gained worldwide success but he’s not content touring the world as a soloist.
Speaking exclusively to SBS, he said he's on a mission to inspire the next generation of musicians.
The rockstar of classical music sits centre stage, his fingers dancing across the keys as the silky tones of Grieg’s piano concerto resonate through the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.
Despite only having minimal sleep since arriving, he played with formidable force.
"Maybe the piece has existed for 200 or 300 years but it doesn't matter. Every time I play this music it's like calling the soul back," he said.
Lang Lang is in Australia to perform to audiences in Brisbane and Sydney but he’s also taking the time to mentor some of Australia’s rising young talent.
Eleven young classical musicians were selected to work with the master to fine tune their craft in a two-hour masterclass.
It’s a rare opportunity for 22-year-old bassoonist Justin Sun who never thought he'd have the chance to play for such an established classical musician.
"He's really helped me get a sense of not only how to play the music, but also make it a performance" Sun said.
Clarinet player Sandra Ismail, 23, was also star struck.
"He's a household name even among non-musical families. It's just really inspiring knowing that you can cross that barrier from just being a classical musician," she said.
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Carved his own path
Defying the conventions of classical music, Lang Lang has carved his own path to become one of the world’s highest paid and most famous concert pianists.
"If classical music was only for the elite, then I would probably never have become a pianist,” he said.
He has been called to perform at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the Grammy Awards and even at a historic concert in Havana last year.
There’s no shortage of impressive collaborations, Lang Lang has worked with a diverse range of musicians from John Legend to Metallica.
Lang Lang began playing the piano at the age of three and it wasn't long before the piano prodigy burst onto the world stage.
Today he is one of the world's biggest music stars and he’s determined to share his passion with the world.
"Music changed my life and I believe that music has the power to heal our heart and open are creativities and to make us better people," he said.
The 33-year-old is credited with a boom in children playing piano in China in what has been dubbed the “Lang Lang effect”.
He has opened a piano school in Shenzhen and a foundation helping disadvantaged children learn music in US schools.
"I hope in the next 20 years we will have every public school covered – it’s a wild dream but you know we need to think big."
