Finger Sprints

Lang Lang's athletic connection

Some have already made some unfavourable quips about his virtuoso "finger-sprints" on the piano keyboard, but there's more to Lang Lang's sports connection. In an Interview for the "Digital Chosunilbo", the Chinese admits that he likes to warm up for his performances by playing a hard-hitting half hour of ping pong. Soaking himself in sweat is apparently the ideal way to prepare for three-hour concert marathons, such as the one he treated his audience to at the opening night of the Klavierfestival Ruhr in a programme of Mozart, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt and Rachmaninoff. Also, Lang Lang will be one of the artists taking care of music at the first night of the World Soccer Championship in Germany in the Summer of 2006. So there's plenty of action around him as he takes on another busy year.

The pianist has furthermore addressed the idea of using modern technology to popularise Classical Music. In a bid to defuse the idea that Classical Music needed to be enjoyed in seclusion and with serenity, he suggested practising the piano by using a computer programme that lets its users score points according to their performance. Evil tongues may again point out that Lang Lang was probably educated by such a programme, but we won't go into that any deeper.

Source: Lang Lang at the Digital Chosunilbo
Homepage: Lang Lang at the Klavierfestival Ruhr