UNICEF People

Lang Lang

Goodwill Ambassador

“I think the best way to reach children is through music. This really opens their ears and their minds.” – Lang Lang

Accomplished classical pianist Lang Lang has performed for world leaders and worked with the world’s best orchestras and conductors. He has a keen interest in child development and the important role that music can play in children’s lives. On 20 May 2004 he was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Lang Lang, who began playing the piano at age three, helps to bring attention to the problems that inhibit young child survival around the world. His remarkable musical ability combined with his popularity among children and youth make him unique in his role as a Goodwill Ambassador. He frequently uses his music to raise funds for humanitarian aid in emergencies. Lang Lang has participated in a number of UNICEF events including fundraisers in Hong Kong, China, Japan and the United States.

Activity highlights

Born into a musical family in Shenyang, China, Lang Lang gave his first public recital at age five. He entered Beijing’s Central Music Conservatory when he was nine. In 1995, at age 13, he won first prize at the Tchaikovsky International Young Musicians Competition and played the complete 24 Etudes of Chopin at the Beijing Concert Hall.

In 1997, he moved with his father to the United States to study at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. At age 17, in a last minute substitution, Lang Lang gave his breakthrough performance at the “Gala of the Century” where he played the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Chicago Symphony. In April 2001, he made his critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut.

In October 2008, he launched the Lang Lang International Music Foundation to expand young audiences and inspire young musicians through various outreach programs and to raise funds for emergency humanitarian assistance.

Lang Lang currently resides in Beijing and New York City.