Lang Lang: First Chinese winner of Classic Brits Award

Chinese pianist Lang Lang grabs the International Artist of the Year at the Classic Brit Awards 2013, held at London's Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday night. [Photo/Xie Songxin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese pianist Lang Lang grabbed the International Artist of the Year at the Classic Brit Awards 2013, held at London's Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday night.

It is the first time a Chinese musician has won the award. "This is a historical moment for me," the 31-year-old musician told China Daily in an exclusive interview, who added that he hopes more Chinese musicians will win in the future.

"The UK has always been an important country for my career, because the first time I performed in a Western European country it was in the UK, at the Royal Albert Hall."

Organizers said the award was in recognition of Lang's global feats as a recording artist and performer, as well as his efforts to increase the popularity of classical music and the piano around the globe.

"His continuing enthusiasm, efforts and performances have helped encourage people of all ages to start playing the piano, and this above all is what we hope to achieve with each Classic Brit Awards event," co-chairmen of the awards committee — Dickon Stainer, president of Decca Records, and Barry McCann, director of Avie Records said.

Lang, British violinist Nicola Benedetti and the London Chamber Orchestra performed together for the first time at the awards show, playing the Armenian folk song Sabre Dance.

Benedetti triumphed for a second consecutive year in the Female Artist of the Year category.

The Classic Brit Awards, established in 2000 to honor and recognize all forms of classical music, plays a major role in supporting and nurturing talent in both the core and crossover classical worlds.

Lang said he is lucky to have obtained his musical achievements, but he also hopes to spend more time in recent years on charitable projects, having established his foundation, the Lang Lang International Music Foundation in 2008.

"I hope I don't just improve myself. I will also want to improve the skills and ability of young Chinese musicians," Lang said.

To help provide the best music education to talented young Chinese musicians Lang has also opened his own school in Shenzhen a year and half ago.

"I want to educate the children and make them excel in music. The children play much better now compared to last year when they first started doing lessons, so I think the systematic teaching at the school really helped," Lang said.

He said the children at his school also are visited by famous musicians from the world, many of whom are Lang's friends in the music field. The children also have the opportunity to play music abroad on summer camps. "I want to play a role to help the children play music on a global stage," Lang said.