Events

Steinway donates its first "Lang Lang" branded piano to UNICEF for HIV/AIDS programme

Lang Lang introduces his new piano to the media

Lang Lang's dream of a "child-friendly" piano comes true.

Beijing, 19 April 2007. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Lang Lang took time out from his busy concert schedule to launch with UNICEF his own branded line of piano at Beijing's main Steinway and Sons showroom this morning.

Speaking to the media, he said how pianos were traditionally large in size and dark in colour, making the instrument intimidating to young people.

Lang Lang fields a question from a China Central Television (CCTV) child reporter.

The new piano he has designed with Steinway and which bears his name is intended to encourage young people to want to take up the instrument at an early age. Design elements include a reversible front panel which converts into a whiteboard and a music desk which runs nearly the length of the keyboard, so that musical score can be read with less strain on the eyes. Demonstrating these features to the media, Lang Lang took a pen and wrote “I love UNICEF” in English on the whiteboard.

For Lang Lang, the piano is a dream come true. "I cherished the dream of playing on a Steinway on the very day I began learning to play the piano. It must also be the same dream for numerous children learning the piano nowadays. Although my dream came true when I was 8, I found that there was no piano specially designed for children. Now with the help of Steinway & Sons, I have realized my childhood dream", Lang Lang said.

Mr John Patton, General Manager of Steinway and Sons in China, spoke of the company's great appreciation of their partnership with UNICEF. This had begun with the presentation to UNICEF of a specially-designed "Peace Piano" carrying the flags of all the UN's member nations and which the then newly-appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Lang Lang had taken on a world tour. He noted that Lang Lang had the unique distinction of being a living artist with a Steinway piano named after him, which was a tribute to the artist's outstanding contribution to the design. The "Lang Lang" piano will be priced at a fraction of the cost of a full-sized Steinway to make the instrument widely accessible to the China market.

UNICEF Representative to China, Dr Yin Yin Nwe quoted Victor Hugo's observation that "Music expresses that which cannot be out into words and that which cannot remain silent". She went on to mention the important role of music in trauma and stress counseling which she had been able to see at first hand when formerly working with UNICEF in conflict and disaster situations.

Lang Lang and Huang Nansong with their UNICEF certificates of recognition presented by UNICEF Representative Dr Yin Yin Nwe (at left)

Lang Lang than played a duet on his signature piano with the 13-year old pianist Huang Nansong, the recent winner of the Steinway International Children and Youth Piano Competition. Taking questions from the media immediately after the launch, Lang Lang explained how music carried a message of hope and how –in this case - children affected by HIV/AIDS in Yunnan Province would be benefiting from the funds raised from the auction of the piano.