This week on talk to Al Jazeera International piano superstar lang lang. The art, you know, its about, you know. The distance and in and out, big picture, precision. Billions of people around the world have seen him perform. At the beijing olympics. The world cup in rio. Even jaming at the grammys. As a musician we will collaborate with great musicians. Lang lang grew up in an Industrial City in northern china. His father was a tough task master, demanding he practice 8 hours a day. Once even urging his young son to commit suicide. Its kind of a hard thing to even think about it. Its something that. I think the love become too extreme. A child prodigy, his mother stayed home to support the family while lang lang pursued his dreams. I would say thats the most difficult thing for me it was, you know, growing up without my mom next to me. Now lang lang is trying to bring classical notes into the lives of children through his International Music foundation. We believe music can make people happier, to make the kids more creative. One of his earliest inspirations. The cartoon musicians tom and jerry. So its really cool when you see, you know, tom try to catch him like. [plays discordant piano sounds]. I sat down with lang lang at the Dimenna Center for Classical Music in new york city. Youve just come from playing at the kennedy center. You played for a worldwide audience with pharrell at the grammys. I thought i was gonna say, oh, this is a busy time for you. But, actually youve slowed down a little bit. What drives you . For me, i like to do creative concerts, and creative projects. And and i think really music give me an energy to drive myself to always try to get to another level. But, you know, you have had so much success it would be easy to say, i could cut my concert schedule in half. I mean, compared to a few years ago its actually reduced. I used to play, like, 160, and now i play 125. Yeah. Something like that. I cut the summer time off. And you do think about balance. I mean, i think that that is something that you have written, that you had to learn. Because, i guess, you had spent so much of your life, from even your early childhood, really focused on driving to be number one, as youve said. I mean, of course, now the to think about number one is a silly thing. But when i was a kid i thought that there is kind of a number one target. When i was a kid, i always been, practice also study at school. So, its, like, constantly working to be focused, and to be concentrated. And then so, now i feel actually better, now. Even though i still have a quite busy schedule. Once im onstage everything is kind of really become magical, because that moment once youre onstage performing its timeless. In Classical Music youve been something of lagent provocateur, that is that you were people, critics, have come after you for being maybe too personalized in your approach. There are going to be critics who say to you, what are you doing to Classical Music . I think this is more question, i would say, more talk about it like five years ago. People still need to know what im doing. And i need to figure out what im doing, too, you know. So, its totally fine to be questioned for some approach. For me, i always realized, first we need to respect the great work, and to be quality controlled. You need to be great off a real performance real concert. You cannot cheat on that. Once you cheat on your artistic approach, then you are not artist, and you are not pianist. So, for me that is always number one. Okay . Number one priority, is to practice, and to get the quality up there. To perfect that . Yeah, i mean, i try to be. And then, in art you can be respectful to the composers, but also personal, you know . The in art were very liberal. Theres not such a one rule that you can only play tchaikovsky in this way. You can only play beethoven in that way. You know, if thats the case nobody want to become a musician. Because being a musician theres no limit. And similarly you would say that about your collaborations with people like pharrell or metallica. These are about musicians at the opposite end of the universe from your traditions. Thats pretty out there. I mean, the important things are quite clear. Theyre wonderful musicians. And as a musician, we will collaborate with great musicians, no matter what type of genre what type of style. Do you learn something from the experience . Absolutely. I mean, with metallica, i learn so much, and i kind of harmonies, that i never played in Classical Music. But also, i found out, the things they are doing, sometimes its similar to some of the contemporary music we are doing. Like, lets say bartok, for example, you know . Hes quite rock n roll, with his concerto no. 2, concerto no. 1. Bartok is rock n roll . Absolutely. I remember reading that you were describing what you see. When you hear music, youre seeing in your mind what youre playing. How do you do that . For music everybody has their own kind of tricks, you know, how to get into your heart. Whether its through kind of the imagination of the pictures, of or youre reading the scores. And for me it always works with the the the emotion, emotion approaches. Approaching through pictures. And movie motion pictures. I see landscapes, i see the themes from the movies. And i see, i just see a lot of things. And colors, and this somehow its even though im actually looking into somewhere. But, actually, my vision are not there. I am struck by your life and your experience, almost at each point in your life, as an outsider. Coming as an outsider to each point, that is you come from a northern Industrial City in china. Not traditionally from beijing not traditionally from the conservative system. Right. You then broke into international competition. When you came to the states to study here, you were an outsider coming into it. Do you always have that sense that youre moving through as an outsider, and that you have something to prove with your music . I dont need to prove something in the music. I think its a really its kind of a good push. Because your life in our life, in everybodys life, nothing is guaranteed, you know . Nothing is just come naturally. You really need to have some maybe sometimes you work harder to get. Sometimes you dont need to work so hard to get it. But you need to do something laughs in order to to get where you want, right . If i want to achieve my dreams i need to go through some turbulence. Because there was turbulence, to bring you to where you are today. And for people who have not followed your story, you lay it all out in journey of a thousand miles, in your memoir. Right. There were some very difficult periods. You and your father left your mother at home in your home city to move to beijing. Yeah. Under very difficult circumstances, to try to bring your career forward, to make it into conservatory. Your father, by the accounts you give, i think in the west that would be interpreted as the tiger dad. Absolutely. Yeah. The story that you tell, that your father told you had nothing to live for. He thought you had failed at a particular point. He suggested you commit suicide. What did you learn from that looking back now . Its i mean, its kind of hard thing. You know, to even think about it. Its something that i think the love become too extreme, what you call . You know . And also, you know, every one of my family members, like my parents, and myself, we were under a lot of pressure. Its not completely, i mean, its not completely my fathers fault, or my fault, or my family fault, or the teachers fault. It just somehow when you have such a high hope, you know you really believe you can do it, and you really want to do it, you know, you become very aggressive. And sometimes you make mistakes. So, thats why, you know, even though he was brutal time, but i already forget almost forget about it, you know . Its just because we all changed. And weve become much more relaxed. Thats including myself, my parents, and people who have a very high expectation, you know, in me, you know. So, thats why, you know, when i when i see some critical moment today. Or when i see something, you know, kind of challenging, i really f just you know, im not under such a pressure anymore. Because i know, you know, lets you know, lets find a solution. Theres everything, there must be a solution some somewhere. Let me ask you though, do you think you would be the artist you are today had he not driven you that hard . Had he not pushed that hard for you to succeed . Its hard to say, you know. Like, the technique point im actually quite grateful sometimes. Because, you know, every kids are, you know, they want to play games. You wanted to play with transformers. Yeah, i mean, nobody want to, you know, practice eight hours a day. Now i only practice two hours. But the thing is that when everybody seeing me playing these days onstage in the sometimes in the particularly in a technical technique. Kind of people are like, wow your techniques amazing. How do you do it . Im like, yeah. Constant practice works. How do you get to Carnegie Hall . You practice. Right . Yeah, you know so its not normal, you know, i wouldnt think, you know, to train any kid, you know, to just do eight hours on something every day, just one thing. You know, eight hours. But, if you want to become a great pianist, thats the basic thing you need to do, is to constant practice. And constant i mean, concentrate. Constantly. You cannot say, okay, tomorrow i feel tired i dont do it. No. Tomorrow you do it. And the day after you still need to do it. And thats, that unfortunately we cannot get an escape from there. That is the sacrifice you have to make. Yeah. Yeah. Another sacrifice that you made, and i will tell you that as a mother its very hard to look at, to think that your mother let you go to pursue your dream. You and your father. Right. Left her at home to work, to make money for the family. But you did not see her for long periods of time. And i wonder what thats like for you now, looking back on it. I would say thats the most difficult thing for me. It was, you know, grow up without my mom next to me. Thats actually harder than practice. With practice, its just its hard, but its not that hard. But to not see your mother, and knowing that your mom is so so close to you. And knowing that she still care about you. But you just cannot be with her. Thats really horrible thing i must say. So, from 9 to 19, i mean, i saw my mom occasionally. But only once in three months. For a few days. Yeah, for a few days. And thats very hard. And i still remember, like, my mom mom finally came i actually felt theres something we were missing something. Theres kind of a missing link between she and i. Because i suddenly i become an adult, you know . After ten years. And i grow up already. So, it actually, it takes me like, six years, you know, to reconnect, you know . Miss my mom, you know, in the, same way that, when i was a kid. You know, that really connection. Your mother let go of a little boy, and she got back a man. Yeah, Something Like that. She always have a dream that still today, you know, she, oh, i just dreamed of you when you were six, or something. Of course, i many mom will do that. But for her it will be kind of slightly different, because she didnt really see me. Maybe she sees me every three months but. Not watching you daytoday. Its a bit bit sad. But now, you know, my mom travels me all all the time. And people be like, oh why you know, youre thirtysomething. Youre still you know. Your moms with you all the time i say, yeah, but, you know, i im trying to find that lost ten years. When we return lang lang tells us what chopin would have put on twitter. Im joie chen youre watching talk to al jazeera. Our guest is classical superstar lang lang. You do quite a bit of work with young people very young talents, who are also interested in piano, and also want to be like lang lang, i guess. Is that possible . Particularly here in the west. I know in asia its different. Youre still a rock star. Do you imagine a moment where Classical Music will have that kind of rockstar status in america . It depends. I mean, the that actually that doesnt really matter whether it feels like rock star in america or not. Because what im thinking about is just theres no music class in Public Schools here. And thats thats really kind of from day one, when i arrive in 97. My high school didnt have music class. And that surprised you . Yeah. So, im like, what wow, in china every school has a music class, at least. Of course. You know . And im like why in america . I mean, this is, you know, considered to be the superpower. And doesnt have a music class . I mean, it just doesnt, you know, it of course. Doesnt value that. I mean, i just dont believe it. I really dont believe it. And and then and then i just must say, you know, and then i realize this is the reality here. But first, of course, i didnt you know, i didnt spend so much effort on that. Because theres nothing i can do. You know, i was unknown artist you know . You cannot trying to make your own way, right yeah. Do much, you know . You cannot really influence on them. So, then i realized, you know, in 2008 i started my own foundation, because i want to change that, of course, you know, to change that is hard. But at least, you know, we are trying to bring awareness, you know, to the society. And also setting up a good example, you know, as a musician that we believe music can make people happier. To make the kids more creative. So, we started to not only help the talented children. The next lang lang . Yeah, maybe you know, of course, nobody will be the same as, you know, whoever. But certainly, you know, they can be themselves. So, we start a school in harlem. In new york city. We start a school in boston. We start a school in other part of world. And so far, so good. We get a lot of students who never heard Classical Music. Who never play piano before. They Start Playing songs or start to compose songs. And they Start Playing mozart. So were starting that. So much of your life is now connected to america. Youre still a citizen of hong kong. Are you american today . Are you chinese . Who are you . I feel that im a citizen of the world, today. But i am chinese. I feel quite proud of what china has done the last ten years. The evolvement, not only economy, but also art and culture. And america is like my second home. I felt very close to particularly in the east coast because i grew up in philadelphia. When we return, lang lang on the cat and mouse game that inspired his music. Tom jerry, after the break. Could have been them. My name is imran garda. The show is called third rail. When you watch the show, youre gonna find us being unafraid. The topics will fascinate you. Intrigue you. They take this seriously. Let me quote you. Theres a double standard. You cant be a hypocrite. Youre gonna also get a show thats really fair, bold never predictable. They should be worried about Heart Disease not terrorism. No, i wouldnt say that at all. Youll see a show that has an impact on the conventional wisdom, that goes where nobody else goes. My name is imran garda, im the host of third rail and you can find it on al jazeera america. Im joie chen youre watching talk to al jazeera where our guest is lang lang. Is it still fun to to play . Absolutely. I mean, not every minute, but when we, you know, start for real playing it, its just the best thing i do. cause thats why, you know, you can sit there eight hours you know . If its if eight hours, you only do piano then nobody would ever do it. laugh you talk about tom and jerry. And people laugh and say, oh, lang lang likes tom and jerry, the cartoon tom, jerry the mouse. But the thing that you appreciated about them is their game of chase. You imagine them on the keyboard. The magic of tom and jerry is that theres theres always constant war between them you know . And youre just the mouse and the cat yeah. Its just like trying to fight it out. Oh, my god. Whats going on . The next one, okay. laugh so so thats really cool when you see, you know, the tom try to catch him, like piano you know . I i i thats just a little thing, but the thing is what i like about music, its like a motion picture, like what we discussed before. Its that you need to have something going on there. And musics not flat, you know . So thats why you need to have up and downs. Take turkish march which everybody knows. piano if you play piano just the notes, its kind of but if piano . And the second time piano the opposite. So youre really seeing that in your mind. You need to, you know . You know, its an art. You know, its about, you know the distance and in and out, you know, big picture, precision. So you always need to have this contrast. And sometimes, then i play so, so piano and then everybody thought that i fell asleep. But no. piano you know what i mean . So you need to tell a story, you know . Maybe not so extreme, laugh you know, but you still need to have a peaceful thing. But you still need to have something. I hate music just played like, lets say piano you know you can be peaceful. But you can still, you know piano and its the small details makes a huge difference. And then it becomes art piece or can be a kind of a machine you know . So its thats one little line there. But when you cross, it makes a huge difference. Do you compose . Thats on my future agenda. I dont know how many works i will compose. I i dont know whether im talented enough. But certainly, probably, i will start with a simple ringtone you know . laughter lang langs ringtone. You can download it at the app store. Just in in this moment, i dont have it. But you know laughter you talk to the world a lot now on social media. You are whats your message about there . I think social media is so cool. Because its perfect platform that you can share everyday life. But you can also share you know, what you do. You can also share what whatever you want to eat. You know, its so its its personal. Its professional. You know, you can do everything. And then you also, you know, sometimes, im checking out, what is my friends doing on facebook or on twitter or on instagram and also on weibo, the chinese version. But that is really your way another way you have of wanting to reach and share. Yeah. I mean, for me i like to reach as many people through music as possible. Because i believe that we all love music. Oh, actually, musicians are no are ordinary h human beings. We are not like weird nerds, you know . Its like hmm, im old. And this is my music making. I dont want to talk to you. laugh you look weird to me, you know . You know, i you know, that get your big, white wig and yeah. I mean i mean, the wig is cool, you know . But but laughter i actually i had one for fun with my mom, you know . I did that. But anyway but. A mozart wig or. Yeah, a mozart wig, yeah. I took a picture. I i was p playing piano kind of kind of feeling, you know, kind of that that period of time, you know . But the thing is that all those musicians, i was, like, reading their letters. For example, last two nights ago, i was reading chopins letters. Oh, my god. Hes always talking about, you know, what kind of food, what type of coffee shop he liked to do. So he woulda been on twitter. Absolutely. I mean, dont think they are like, you know, like of course, theyre musical gods. But theyre s totally normal you know . I mean, they were talking about what their favorite bread. Oh, i want to have apartment like that, you know, one salon. I saw two bedrooms. Yeah. I mean, mozart is, like, always sending millions of kisses. I want to kiss you thousand million times. I mean, for him, numbers are like nothing. I mean, thousand millions of times . I mean, what is that . You said you were working on a piece now that you had not played before. Yeah. Im im now working on this rachmaninoff the most romantic composure from russia his concerto number one. cause i did number two, number three and paganini variation. And and i want t to have some new piece for me. But its still very romantic you know, like the normal rachmaninoff style. So rach 1 is really ideal. So im i will play today for my teacher, Gary Graffman right after the show. So i go to his studio. So it sounds a little bit like piano this is Aljazeera America live from new york city. Im erica pitzi and tony harris is on assignment. The white house tries to convince lawmakers to accept the nuclear deal with iran toy. After an emergency meeting nato pledges support for turkey as that country pledge pledge in the fight against isil. And apologizing for killing zimbabwes most famo