Chinese pianist Lang Lang debuts with Dusseldorf Symphony

Working with the renowned Dusseldorf Symphony Orchestra and Hungarian conductor Adam Fischer both for the first time, Chinese pianist Lang Lang made his debut with an incomparable outdoor concert on Saturday at the Chenshan Grassland Music Festival in Shanghai.

The two-day festival, China's biggest open-air classical music festival, wrapped up on Sunday on the green grass at the Chenshan Botanical Garden, offering audiences a feast of classical music for the 13th consecutive year.

This was also the first time that Lang played outdoors in Shanghai. Together with the orchestra, he presented Felix Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No 1 in G minor, Op 25, a piece that he has not played for many years.

"As a pianist who usually plays in concert halls, I enjoy playing outdoors very much since it is often hard to move the piano to the outside. It feels relaxing and comfortable to play in the open air, as I can hear the birds sing, smell the flowers in the air and see the audiences enjoy the perfect blend of music and nature," he said.

Lang added that Shanghai has a premier ground for classical music, and such festivals offer easier access to classical music, especially for those who are not used to sitting in concert halls.

"It (the festival) helps both audience and musicians better know and understand each other. Audiences do not necessarily have to wear formal suits and sit still to enjoy classical music, and I actually feel good in the fresh air harmonized with natural sounds and children's voices," he added.

Conductor Fischer, who made his debut at the festival two years ago, was already more familiar with such challenges.

"It is a unique atmosphere (playing outdoors) and a very special challenge for me to switch off the noise and concentrate on the music. Outdoor concert is something different and new, and I'm very happy to have new challenges and make new experiences in my age," he said with a laugh.

Despite the challenges of playing outdoors, such as the wind, insects and sound distractions, Lang was not the only one who enjoyed the show. Michael Becker, artistic director of the Dusseldorf Symphony Orchestra, was also impressed by such outdoor setting.

"We feel a bit like rock start (on the stage). For us, it's very unusual to have such an open air concert. It is not just about the music itself, but also about the surrounding, the smell, the sounds, as you may hear someone shouting and birds singing. Being in nature is very interesting for musicians, because music comes from nature," he said.