Legendary pianist Lang Lang was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Considered one the finest classical pianists of his generation, Lang has performed for some of the most influential people on the planet. Among those are President Barack Obama, Pope Francis and the late Queen Elizabeth of England.
Just steps away from his star on the boulevard, Lang gifted everyone in attendance at his ceremony with a short performance on a Steinway Piano.
"He has the audience in the palm of his hands, making them feel that they’re listening to his music for the very first time," said Dickon Stainter, President and CEO of Global Classics and Jazz.
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Lang recalled memories of Hollywood, strolling down the boulevard during some downtime, looking at all the names of people who have changed the world.
"I was blown away by all those great names and all of those people who have changed the world," said Lang.
That honor, now his too.
U.S. & World
"Music brought me here today. And music brought me to start playing in my home city," said Lang.
Born in Shenyang, the capital of coastal Liaoning province in Northeast China, Lang's piano journey began when he was just two years old. Lang says he was inspired by cartoons after watching "The Cat Concerto" in a Tom and Jerry episode.
By age nine he was considered a piano prodigy and would later move to the U.S. with his father in 1997 to continue his music career.
Lang released his first live album, "Lang Lang: Live At Seiji Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood'' in 2000 and his first studio album in 2003, "Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn: First Piano Concertos." His latest album, "Lang Lang -- Saint-Saéns,'' was released on March 1.
The ceremony comes two days before "Lang Lang By The Bay," a concert at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park in San Diego.
