10th Anniversary Gala 2018
World-renowned pianist Lang Lang raised $1.6 million for music education in the US and China at a benefit gala in New York on Wednesday 10th of October.
The gala, staged at Cipriani 25 Broadway in Lower Manhattan, coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation. The world-renowned pianist led a performance played by the foundation’s young scholars, while Golden Globe-winning actor Alec Baldwin hosted the evening event. Further more, famous tenor Roberto Alagna, 12-time Grammy Award nominee Ledisi and three-time Grammy Award winner Wyclef Jean also gave performances during the night.
Founded in 2008 by Lang, the LLIMF strives to educate, inspire and motivate the next generation of music lovers and performers in both the US and China.
Over the past 10 years, the foundation has benefited children across the world through various music education programs such as Keys of Inspiration (KOI), 101 Pianists, Young Scholars and Play It Forward.
“At LLIMF, we believe that all children should have access to music education, regardless of their background,” Lang said at the event.
“Most students enter the program with no prior knowledge of music or piano. There have been many students who began the program speaking no English, but in the KOI classroom, everyone speaks one language: music,” he said.
As of September 2018, 40 schools from across the US have enrolled in the program, allowing more than 6,000 students to benefit from music education. Utilizing a strategic expansion plan, KOI will reach 30,000 students in 80 schools by 2020, said Leszek Barwinski-Brown, the CEO of LLIMF.
As our Keys of Inspiration teacher said last night, “the minute you donate, you just stepped inside the classroom and joined forces with hundreds of passionate music educators seeking to unlock the potential in their students”.
Partners
