Sunday 4 July 2010

While you are waiting for your acceptance letter to present at the 7th World Congress of Conductive Education in Hong Kong...

Enjoy Lang Lang's playing Franz Liszt (Liszt Ferenc) Hungarian composer's Liebestraum and Hungarian Rhapsody. It might get you in the mood of the Hungarian spirit which will hopefully be presented at the conference along with the true spirit of Conductive Pedagogy, just like the way in which Lang Lang performs Liszt.



"Lang Lang was born in Shenyang, China, and he has Manchu ancestry. When he was only two years old, he saw the Tom and Jerry episode The Cat Concerto which features the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Franz Liszt. According to Lang Lang, this first contact with Western music is what motivated him to learn piano.[1][2] He began lessons with Professor Zhu Ya-Fen at age three. At the age of five, Lang won first place at the Shenyang Piano Competition and performed his first public recital.[3]

When he was nine years old, Lang Lang neared his audition for Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music, and, having difficulties with his lessons, was expelled from his piano tutor's studio for lack of talent.[4] His music teacher at his state school noticed Lang Lang's sadness, and decided to comfort him by playing a record of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 10 in C Major, K. 330; she asked him to play along with the slow movement. This reminded Lang of his love of the instrument. "Playing the K. 330 brought me hope again," recalled Lang.[4] "





References:
Photo by Herbie Hancock at http://www.langlang.com/news?page=4

2 comments:

Susie Mallett said...

Thank you for this Judit.

If I had not read and listened to this posting I would not have noticed in the local Sunday Rag that Lang Lang will be here in Nürnberg at the Meistersingerhalle in October. I hope I am not too late to get a ticket.

Thank you for all the snippets you give us.

Susie

Judit Szathmáry said...

Dear Susie,
Thank you for your comment.:)) It is much appreciated. I am delighted that you enjoyed Lang Lang’s performance and that you might be able to see him on a real life concert. He is an extremely talented artist. I wish I could sit next to you watching him as he brings his breathtaking talent to the forefront at the Meistersingerhall in Nürnberg. I hope that you will manage to get a ticket.
Judit