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  • LANG AND FRIENDS: Renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang presents a special one-night-only concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 3, featuring famous local artists in special guest appearances (WANG LEI)
  • SPARKLING: Lang shares the stage with Danish singer-songwriter Oh Land at Carnegie Hall (COURTESY OF PATRICK MCMULLAN COMPANY)
  • PIANO DUET: Nine-year-old Johnson Zhongxin Li performs alongside Lang on the night (WANG LEI)
  • ORATORIO: The concert reaches a climax with a luxuriant rendition of the popular Puccini aria O Mio Babbino Caro by the Grammy Award-winning soprano Renee Fleming (COURTESY OF PATRICK MCMULLAN COMPANY)
  • ORATORIO: The concert reaches a climax with a luxuriant rendition of the popular Puccini aria O Mio Babbino Caro by Grammy Award-winning soprano Renee Fleming (WANG LEI)
  • PARTNERSHIP: Lang plays accompaniment in Franck's Sonata in A, with violinist Joshua Bell (COURTESY OF PATRICK MCMULLAN COMPANY)
  • RESONANCE: Eminently gifted R&B vocalist and pianist John Legend joins Lang (COURTESY OF PATRICK MCMULLAN COMPANY)
  • TALENT: Six child music prodigies supported by Lang International Music Foundation perform with Lang at the second half of the concert (COURTESY OF PATRICK MCMULLAN COMPANY)
  • CHORUS: The Young People's Chorus of New York City rises to sing Climb Every Mountain at the concert's conclusion (COURTESY OF PATRICK MCMULLAN COMPANY)
  • ENCORE: Lang and friends attend a Lang Lang International Music Foundation benefit gala at Carnegie Hall (WANG LEI)

By Huang Wei

Acclaimed Chinese pianist Lang Lang presented a special one-night only concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 3.

Lang Lang and Friends, hosted by Alec Baldwin, featured several Grammy-winning special guests including violinist Joshua Bell, soprano Renee Fleming, recording artist John Legend and Danish singer-songwriter Oh Land.

Lang offered a performance of solo piano works by Frederic Chopin featured on his latest album. Six child music prodigies supported by Lang Lang International Music Foundation performed side-by-side with Lang at the second half of the concert.

"It is the most joyous sound in the universe," nine-year-old Johnson Zhongxin Li said after the performance, adding that it was one of his most exciting performing experiences.

Coming from Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Li started playing the piano when he was only four years old. He is currently studying at the junior music program at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts. In August 2011, Lang Lang's foundation awarded him a scholarship.

Established in 2008, the Lang Lang International Music Foundation is committed to educating and inspiring the next generation of classical music lovers and performers by cultivating tomorrow's top pianists, building a young audience through live music experiences.

"I want every child to have access to its magical world so that it may ignite something wonderful inside them, just as it did for me," Lang wrote in a statement on his official website.

The concert was followed by a gala dinner. All proceeds from the event will benefit the foundation, according to a news release.

(Reporting from New York City)
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