Journey of a Thousand Miles: My Story

By: David Ritz and Lang Lang

Sign Up Now! Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into Bookshare to access this title. Learn about membership options, or view our freely available titles.

Synopsis: Journey of a Thousand Miles tells the remarkable story of a boy who sacrificed almost everything -- family, financial security, childhood, his reputation in China's insular classical music world -- to fulfil his promise as a classical pianist. Lang Lang was born in Shenyang in north-eastern China just after the end of the Cultural Revolution. He began piano lessons at three and by ten had been awarded a place at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. In order to continue his studies he moved thousands of miles from home, living with his exacting father in a cramped, shared apartment, while his mother stayed at home to earn the money to pay his fees. Lang Lang reveals that his father's ruthless discipline reflects a national obsession with winning at all costs. At fifteen he moved to the United States to take up a scholarship at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia; by nineteen he was selling out Carnegie Hall. His tutor and mentor Daniel Barenboim has described him as 'extraordinarily talented'. Now twenty-six, Lang Lang tours relentlessly, delighting sell-out audiences with his trademark flamboyance and showmanship. His inspiring story demonstrates the courage and self-sacrifice required to achieve artistic greatness.