Journey of a Thousand Miles tells the remarkable story of a boy who sacrificed almost everything - family, financial security, childhood and 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 years old and by age 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. 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 was perhaps the first to describe him as 'extraordinarily talented'; today his assessment is shared by millions. Now in adulthood, Lang Lang tours relentlessly, delighting sell-out audiences with his trademark flamboyance and showmanship. Journey of a Thousand Miles is a tale of heartbreak, drama and ultimately triumph.
His inspiring story demonstrates the courage and self-sacrifice required to achieve artistic greatness.
- ISBN10 1322045186
- ISBN13 9781322045184
- Publish Date 1 January 2014 (first published 8 July 2008)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 4 March 2015
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Aurum Press
- Format eBook
- Language English