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"Lang Lang is a prodigious talent ..."

"He is the biggest, most exciting young keyboard talent ..." - Chicago Tribune

Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, "Piano Recital by Lang Lang" will be staged at 8pm on April 21 (Monday) at the Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Celebrated in all the music capitals of the world, Lang Lang has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to connect with audiences on a deeply personal level and has established himself, at only 20, as one of the most exciting pianists of the time. He has already performed with the world's most distinguished orchestras from New York to London and given recitals from Paris to Tokyo.

Career highlights include a live recorded Proms debut at London's Royal Albert Hall and a sold-out Carnegie Hall debut. His Philadelphia Orchestra performance at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing drew 8,000 people.

Born in Shenyang, China, Lang Lang has won numerous awards including first prize at the Second Tchaikovsky International Young Musicians' Competition and the first-ever Leonard Bernstein Award for distinguished musical talent. A graduate of Curtis, he has two Billboard bestsellers and has been featured on CNN, The Wall Street Journal and Teen People.

Programme includes Haydn's Piano Sonata in C, Hob. XVI/50, Rachmaninov's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 36; Tan Dun's Eight Sketches in Watercolour, Op. 1; Schumann's Variations on the name "Abegg" for Piano in F, Op. 1; Mozart/Liszt's Reminiscences of "Don Juan" (Don Giovanni), S. 418.

Tickets priced at $420, $320, $220 and $120 are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-priced concessions will be granted to senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. (Limited tickets for students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients available on a first-come-first-served basis). A 10% discount is also available for Friends of LCSD performing venues.

In addition, members of the public are welcome to hire the Box Seats and Lounge Packages for private gathering. Interested parties could check the details at 2268 7230.

A pre-concert talk will also be held at 4pm on March 29 (Sat) at the AC1, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Professor Li Mingqiang will present the talk in Putonghua. Admission is free on a first-come-first-served basis.

Programme enquiries can be made on 2268 7321 while ticketing enquiries and reservations on 2734 9009. Internet booking of tickets is available at www.urbtix.gov.hk. For credit card telephone booking, please call 2111 5999. Please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp for more information on the programme.

End/ Monday, March 10, 2003

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