Lang Lang performs at the event of 2025 "A Week with Lang Lang" Photo: Courtesy of National Centre for the Performing Arts

Directed by renowned Chinese filmmaker Jiang Wen, the film You Are the Best is currently screening in cinemas nationwide. The film is an adaptation of renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang's life story and artistic journey.

You Are the Best tells the story about the legendary journey of a father and a son from Shenyang, in Northeast China's Liaoning Province to the US. The journey documents the growth of a rising piano star from the age of 3 to 17. The film chronicles the story of a Chinese pianist, a tale inspired by Lang Lang's own journey— from a raw, untapped musical talent to an artist who earned the respect from the world's top-notch classical music circle.

The film's character based on Lang Lang's father, Lang Guoren, has sparked discussions due to the rigorous and pushy parenting approach portrayed in the movie.

In an exclusive interview, Lang Lang revealed to the Global Times that his father "wasn't like that all the time," and he had his own parenting strategies, guiding him throughout his musical career.

"Even with a pushy approach, there must be flexibility. A young pianist needs smart practice, not just mindless repetition. Practicing 10 hours a day until you become a 'zombie' stumbling out of the practice room gets you nowhere," Lang noted, and adds that if his father had been that way every single day, he would have quit piano long ago. 

"Mastering piano requires absolute dedication - you can't play well until you've literally developed calluses," Lang told the Global Times.

The calluses on Lang's hands seem to bear witness to his unwavering dedication to piano—from childhood stardom to international fame. Lang also shared with the Global Times how he found joy amid the grueling practice sessions, turning the piano room into a space of creative fulfillment.  

He said that when he was a child, he would always feel Western composers' music to express something somehow distant from his own life experience. To bridge this gap, he began decorating his music books with cartoon stickers and assigning each composer playful nicknames. 

"Taking Bach as an example, I named him 'Megatron' after the Transformers' villain. I'd been practicing his pieces nonstop and had developed a bit of resentment at that time," the pianist said, adding that Beethoven, whose heroic "Fate Symphony," also known as "Symphony No. 5 of Destiny" resonated with him, earned the moniker "Optimus Prime." In his musical world, Mozart is "Sun Wukong" the Monkey King, while Chopin became "Saint Seiya" for his noble musical spirit. 

Lang Lang's joyful discovery in piano practice led him to profound insights about art education. He said that he hopes children approach piano practice with "genuine motivation." While the occasional push is necessary, what truly matters is "nurturing their self-discipline and authentic love for music." 

"Artistic development shouldn't be measured solely by professional success, and parents and teachers should prioritize cultivating joy in artistic discovery," Lang told the Global Times. 

The event "A Week with Lang Lang" has been recently held in Beijing, providing piano masterclasses and concerts which showcased the distinctive musical aesthetics of Chinese pianists as interpreted by Lang Lang himself.

Lang told the Global Times that when interpreting Western compositions, Chinese musicians often bring a "distinctive sensitivity and emotional nuance" to art. He believes such a style is "connected to the intrinsic qualities of Chinese culture," and is a "strength" of Chinese artists. 

To Lang, there exists perfect artistic symbiosis between Western performance mastery and the cultivation of authentic Chinese stylistic expression. During his career, he has explored how to emulate traditional instrument techniques on the piano. For example, according to Lang Lang, the pipa technique of lunzhi (rolling fingers plucking) and the cascading plucks of guzheng can be interwoven within piano performances. 

"It's not just a question of blending them in a melodic quotation, but it's also about adapting compositions to naturally absorb these elements. When I rearranged Jasmine Flower (lit: Moli hua), the harmonic treatment subtly evoked the ambiance of water towns of the Jiangnan region," Lang reminisced. 

When asked about "what role Chinese piano art can play on the world stage in the future," Lang Lang displayed palpable pride and anticipation. He revealed that he plans to release a series of "Chinese-style" piano albums to share China's musical culture with the world and he noted that global competitions are seeing increasingly outstanding Chinese contestants, whose achievements fill him with profound honor. Introducing new talents requires "gradual, sustained exposure" rather than "rushed breakthroughs," he said, adding, "I hope to see more Chinese musicians share their artistry on the global stage in the future."