Disney Steinway Event at Ladbroke Hall

“I have taken on a second career!” said Lang Lang at the Foundation launch event!”

If one word applies to Lang Lang, to the musician, to the man, to his worldview, to those who come into contact with him, it is “inspiration”. It resounds like a musical motif through his life and career. He inspires millions with his open-hearted, emotive playing, whether it be in intimate recitals or on the grandest of stages – such as the 2014 World Cup concert in Rio, with Placido Domingo, to celebrate the final game; the 56th GRAMMY Award, where he performed with Metallica; the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where more than four billion people around the world viewed his performance; the Last Night of the Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall, or the Liszt 200th birthday concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Charles Dutoit which was broadcast live in more than 300 movie theaters around the United States and 200 cinemas across Europe (the first classical music cinemacast to be headlined by a solo artist).

He forms enduring musical partnerships with the world’s greatest artists, from conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Gustavo Dudamel and Sir Simon Rattle, to artists from outside of classical music – among them dubstep dancer Marquese “nonstop” Scott, king of the crooners Julio Inglesias and jazz titan Herbie Hancock.

He even builds relationships with corporations who will help him get classical music to ever-more people – thanks to his Sony ambassadorship, for instance, he brought Prokofiev’s 7th Piano Sonata to the soundtrack of the multi-million- selling computer game Gran Turismo 5and 6! And he builds cultural bridges between East and West, frequently introducing Chinese music to Western audiences, and vice versa.

Deva Mira Sperandio (2007) starts to approach music and the piano with her mother, and at the age of 8 she enters the J.M.Gomis State Conservatory in Ontinyent (Valencia, Spain), where she has finished her studies in 2023. In the meanwhile she follows masterclass with Professor Juan Lago and Professor Istvàn Székely.

She is actually studying with a scholarship at the Yehudi Menuhin School of London with Professor Dinara Klinton, and she is recipient of an ArteMusica Stiftung (Frankfurt, Germany).

In 2018, at the age of 10, she makes her debut in a recital for young pianists at the Ciclo Amadeus Association under the artistic direction of Teresa Flores, and at the age of 13, thanks to the Piú Mosso Fundation, under the artistic direction of Ana Benedicto, she debutes in Madrid, in a recital at the Ateneo, and she repeats at the age of 15 at the San Fernando Museum of Fines Arts in Madrid in a recital at the presentation of the annual program of the foundation. In July 2022 she is invited to participate at the Festival de Jeunes Talents in Cannes (France). At the age of 14 she makes her debut with the Malaga String Orchestra in the F.Chopin Piano Concerto no2 (Allegro vivace), and at the age of 15 with the Conservatoire Band with the Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. She is also invited to play in 2023 the Beethoven Concerto no2 with the Caixa Ontinyent Orquesta under the direction of French cellist Xavier Gagnepain.

Deva has regularly participated in National and International Competitions with excellent results. Among more than twenty prizes we can find the 3rd Prize ex-aequo in the 30o International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth in Szafarnia (Poland) and special prize of the Chopin Stichting foundation Holland, the 1st absolute prize in Orbetello International Piano Competition with a score of 100/100 and Special prize Jeunesses Musicales International Croatia, the 2nd prize at VII Internationa Béla Bartók Piano Competition and Special Prize Béla Bartók (Austria), finalist and special prize “Oustanding Achievement” at Entschede International Piano Competition (Netherlands), the 1st prize at the IX Concours International de Piano d’Orleans “Brins d’Herbe” and Special Prize ex-aequo for the best interpretation of the obligatory work (France), and 1st absolute prize and prize for the best interpretation of a Spanish composer’s work in XII International Piano Competition “Pequeños grandes pianistas” (Spain).

At the age of 14 she receives an invitation from the EMCY to participate in Epoche-f International 2021, where she plays with the Ensemble made up of 20 young musicians who have won prestigious international competitions from all over Europe at two contemporary music concerts in Germany, Deva being the youngest participant. Deva has also been awarded a scholarship to participate in the Cleveland International Piano Institute in summer 2023 (USA).

Deva has received advice from internationally renowned pianists such as Jerome Rose, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Fabio Bidini, Alexander Kobrin, Dina Parakhina, Edith Fisher, Dimitri Alexeev, Pavel Nersessian, Josu de Solaun, Eduardus Halim, Christopher Elton, Graham Scott, Pascal Nemirowski, Murray McLachlan and Misha Dacic between others.

Aidan Siqi Zhao, who is 12 years old, is studying at King’s College School in London and studying both piano and violin as the first instrument in the Royal College of Music Junior Department. Aidan was also a member of the National Children Orchestra. Aidan is grateful to the Eileen Rowe Musical Trust, which has awarded him scholarship towards his piano studies since 11 years old. Aidan is currently studying piano with Professor Ian Jones from RCM.

Aidan was interviewed by BBC News in 2021 about his music achievement. He has been invited to perform at various events and venues in the UK, such as TED Brum, Nottingham Lakeside Arts Centre, the Elgar Concert Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Royal College of Music etc.

Aidan was awarded the Solihull Musician of the Year at the age of 8 in the Grand Final of Solihull Musical Festival, which is a high-profile music competition in the region. He is the youngest ever musician receiving this prestigious award and music scholarship. He passed ABRSM Grade 8 piano and violin exams with high Distinction marks at the age of 9.

Apart from playing piano and violin, Aidan enjoys playing Chinese Dulcimer under his grandmother’s tutorial. He was also taught to play accordion by his father and was the winner of Under 7 Class in the competition organised by the UK National Accordion Organisation.

During the pandemic lockdown in June 2020, Aidan successfully held an online fundraising concert for Solihull Young Carers, which raised more awareness of those young carers during that challenging period.