Lang Lang: The Piano Phenomenon Taking Music to New Heights

    Jonathan Green, the author of the article "Lang Lang: The Piano Phenomenon Taking Music to New Heights" allows the readers to understand the life of Lang Lang who is living the life of both a rock star and a concert pianist.
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1302224/Lang-Lang-The-Piano-pphenomenon-taking-music-new-heights.html)
    The main idea of this article is to inform the readers of Lang Lang's lifestyle of living like a rock star while he's a concert pianist and how he is able to live his dream successfully. This main idea is supported by direct quotes from Lang Lang. For example, in the article it says "'I don't believe that only movie stars, sports stars, or pop stars can have that fan base. I believe that if classical musicians do well you can have the same response, the same reaction.'" The author's viewpoint of Lang Lang is that he is an amazing pianist that always try to make the best out of his life. In other words, he is working hard as a classical pianist and having fun in his life by partying when necessary. The viewpoint of the author and the main idea of this article is supported with multiple facts from the Time magazine and from an interview of Lang Lang.
    The bias of this article is spread vastly and efficiently within the entire article. The bias of this article is that classical music is for everyone and that success is measured by the audience's heart. This slants my view of classical music and the way success is measured because of the quotes from Lang Lang that is provided as the supporting details. For example, in the article it says "'My point is that classical music is for everybody. By playing classical music, I'm getting the same reaction as pop stars or movie stars.'" Another example from the article says "' The audiences award me a trophy in their heart.'" The main source that is used for accurate facts are from the words Lang Lang has spoken during one of his interviews. Every opinion of the author is supported with multiple evidences throughout this article.
    Instead of a conflicting evidence, balanced information is explained in this source. This balanced information includes the way how harsh Lang Lang's father treated him when it came to piano practices, which led him to feel overly pressured and how he is very successful as a concert pianist now. For example in the article it says "At age 28, he is one of the most successful classical pianists in the world, with the appeal and status of a rock star. He was named in Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people in the world and voted among people magazine's 20 sexiest men alive." However, an example from the article of the moment when Lang Lang felt pressured says "'I hate my hands. I hate the piano. I hate you.' Only then did his father stop." Lang Lang has spoken these words when he was late for a piano practice with his father due to the extended music session at his school and his father was yelling at him saying that he had no reason to live. At that time, as a child he was feeling overdosed with practices and pressure his father put on his shoulders. However, this was one of the main reasons that Lang Lang was able to become successful. He gained the habit of practicing continuously.
    The accuracy of this source can be proved by the author, the date of when this article was updated, and the information the author used. First, the author's name is Jonathan Green and he has written about other topics related to recycling and much more. Second, the date that this article was updated is August 14th, 2010. This date was close to the day Lang Lang played an open-air concert in New York's central park with the Shanghai Philharmonic. Lastly, the information the author used is based off of what Lang Lang said during his interview, biography of him, and the Time magazine.
    This article is filled with Lang Lang's personal experiences as a concert pianist, how far his inspirations took him into his success, and the beautiful moment of when he legs go or gets lost in music. As a conclusion, this source allows the readers to understand how to measure success, how to balance a life filled with fun even as one of the most famous concert pianists, and the inspiration Lang Lang brings to this generation with his music.