HKU to confer honorary degree upon world-renowned pianist Lang Lang

Honorary Degrees are awarded to individuals in recognition of their distinguished service and commitment to the University, the community, and to academia.  They are also conferred to those who have made valuable intellectual, social and cultural contributions to society and the world.

The President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Mathieson will preside over the Congregation session.

Details as follows:
Date:   December 2, 2017 (Saturday)
Time:   10am – 12noon
Venue:  Grand Hall, HKU

In connection with the conferment of the honorary degree, the Cultural Management Office and the Faculty of Arts will be co-organising the event “Music in Words: In Conversation with Lang Lang” on December 1, 2017 (Friday) at 7pm in Loke Yew Hall. In this talk, he will share his remarkable life story, insights on his musical career, as well as his passion for education. For details of the talk, please visit: https://www.muse.hku.hk/en/programmes/2017-18/langlang

Biography
LANG Lang
Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa

Lang Lang is an internationally renowned pianist, educator, philanthropist, a United Nations Messenger of Peace and a leader in bringing classical music into the 21st century and building bridges between Eastern and Western culture.

Lang Lang started playing the piano at the age of three, and by his early teens was winning top national and international competitions. He left China for Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, where he worked with the legendary pianist Gary Graffman and became a musical sensation at seventeen.

He has since played for world leaders and has performed at important events such as the opening ceremonies of the 2006 World Cup, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, as well as the 2014 UN Day Concert and the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremonies in 2007 and 2009.

For the first time in its 160-year history, Steinway & Sons named a model after a single artist when they introduced the ‘Lang Lang Piano’ in China. Lang Lang has given recitals and concerts in all major cities and was the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic and leading American orchestras. He was also the first Chinese pianist to have held solo performances at the White House, and has been invited by the British Royal Family to perform commissioned works. Lang Lang also performed at the Grammy Awards with Herbie Hancock in 2008, with Metallica in 2014 and with Pharrell Williams in 2015.

In the past decade, Lang Lang has contributed to musical education and support for children worldwide by establishing the Lang Lang International Music Foundation – cultivating tomorrow’s top pianists, championing music education through technology, and educating young audiences with live music experiences.

Lang Lang holds honorary degrees from the Royal College of Music and Birmingham City University in the UK, and the Manhattan School of Music and New York University in the US. He has been awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Medal of the Order of Arts and Letters of France.

For details of the background of the honorary graduand, please visit: https://www4.hku.hk/hongrads/index.php.

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk; or Ms Melanie Wan (Senior Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk.