Global-Star Pianist Lang Lang to Open Harriman-Jewell Series' 45th Anniversary Season of Great Performances

WHO: LANG LANG, pianist in recital

WHEN: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, at 7:30 p.m.

PRESENTED BY: HARRIMAN-JEWELL SERIES

WHERE: FOLLY THEATER, downtown Kansas City, Mo. (12th and Central Sts.)

TICKETS: remaining seats are $40, $55, $70—order online at hjseries.org or call 816-415-5025 for assistance.

PROGRAM: Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 3 in C, Op. 2; Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor "Appassionata" Op. 57; works from Albéniz's Iberia Book I; and Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83

HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES: Click the images below to download high-resolution versions (contact Tim for additional images):

| |

The Harriman-Jewell Series will present global-star pianist Lang Lang to open its 45th anniversary season at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, at the Folly Theater (12th and Central Sts.) in downtown Kansas City, Mo. Last on the Harriman-Jewell Series in 2004, the 27-year-old phenomenon is certain to dazzle and delight. The music Lang Lang has selected for the evening includes Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 3 in C, Op. 2; Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor "Appassionata" Op. 57; works from Albéniz's Iberia Book I; and Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83.

Heralded as the “hottest artist on the classical music planet” by the New York Times, Lang Lang has played sold-out recitals and concerts in every major city in the world. Testimony to his success, Lang Lang recently appeared in the 2009 Time 100: Time magazine's annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2008, over 5 billion people viewed Lang Lang’s performance in Beijing’s opening ceremony for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad where he was seen as a symbol of the youth and future of China.

Lang Lang has made it his mission to share classical music around the world, with an emphasis on training children and young musicians through education and outreach programs. To that effect, in October 2008 he launched the Lang Lang International Music Foundation in New York with the support of the Grammy’s and UNICEF. The Lang Lang International Music Foundation was created to enrich the lives of children through a deeper understanding and enjoyment of classical music and to inspire and financially support the next generation of musicians.

In addition to the recital, Lang Lang will lead a free piano master class with young and talented students preselected from the Kansas City area on the Folly Theater stage. The class is designed to be enjoyed by audience observers; the public is invited to attend this free event from 11 a.m. to noon, on Wednesday, September 16 (the morning after his recital at the Folly). Reservations are not necessary. The master class is a Lang Lang International Music Foundation event. Call 816-415-5025 for more information.

In 2008, an autobiography, Journey of a Thousand Miles, published by Random House in eight languages, was released to critical acclaim. As part of his commitment to the education of children, Lang Lang released a version of his autobiography specifically for younger readers, entitled Playing with Flying Keys.

Lang Lang began playing piano at the age of 3 and by the age of 5 he had won the Shenyang competition and given his first public recital. Entering Beijing’s Central Music Conservatory at age 9, he won first prize at the Tchaikovsky International Young Musicians Competition and played the complete 24 Chopin Études at the Beijing Concert Hall at age 13. Lang Lang’s break into stardom came at age 17 when he was called upon for a dramatic last-minute substitution at the “Gala of the Century,” playing the Tchaikovsky concerto with the Chicago Symphony. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as the “biggest, most exciting keyboard talent encountered in many years,” Lang Lang has progressed from one triumphant appearance to the next.

[Additional biographical information is available at www.langlang.com.]

Remaining tickets for the Lang Lang piano recital are priced $40, $55, and $70, and can be ordered online at hjseries.org or by phone at 816-415-5025. The Curry Family Foundation sponsors this performance.

Now in its 45th season, the nationally recognized Harriman-Jewell Series brings acclaimed performers from the worlds of music, dance, and theatre to Kansas City’s downtown venues. In addition to the performances, Educational Events offer free master classes and lectures to allow area community members and students to view artists in an informal setting. Financial support for the 2009-2010 season has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.
###