To provide more children in Tibetan areas with professional music education, this October, the Lang Lang Arts Foundation brought “Happy Keys” music classrooms to nine schools in Lhasa, Nyingchi, Shigatse, and Chamdo in the Tibet Autonomous Region, as well as Wenchuan and Ya'an in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province. This initiative aims to improve music teaching conditions and enhance the quality of music education, giving Tibetan, Qiang, and other minority children, including special needs children, the wings to pursue their musical dreams.
On the morning of October 8th, the donation ceremony for the "Happy Keys" music classroom was held at Wenchuan Qiyi Yingxiu Middle School. International piano master Lang Lang attended the ceremony and performed with teachers and students from the recipient schools. In this renewed city, love and gratitude have revitalized Wenchuan with vigor and hope.
The donated schools include Lhasa Special Education School, Lulang Town Central Primary School, Qiangna Township Central Primary School, Jiding Town Central Primary School, Ranwu Town Central Primary School, Wenchuan Qiyi Yingxiu Middle School, Wenchuan Special Education School, Ya'an Yucheng Primary School, and Ya'an Xindian Town Central Primary School. Many students at these schools are from ethnic minorities, skilled in singing and dancing, with many showing exceptional musical aptitude from a young age.
During the donation ceremony, students from Qiangna Township Central Primary School performed a traditional Tibetan dance, “Zhaxi Luoya,” showcasing the richness of their ethnic culture.
Lang Lang also played a four-hand piano piece, "Dance of the Little Swans," with Qiang students, encouraging children to keep up their efforts and grow happily with the accompaniment of music.
Lang Lang also played a four-hand piano piece, "Dance of the Little Swans," with Qiang students, encouraging children to keep up their efforts and grow happily with the accompaniment of music.
After the donation ceremony, Lang Lang visited Wenchuan Special Education School, giving the children their first piano lesson. As the lively and touching melody played, the children couldn't help but clap along to the beat. In an interview, Lang Lang said, “Although these children have certain limitations, their ability to understand and learn music surprised me."
Two of the donated schools are special education institutions. Music is crucial for the physical and mental development of children with visual impairments and intellectual disabilities, helping them open their inner worlds, acquire skills, and better integrate into social life, allowing them to fulfill themselves.
Art can cultivate emotions, stimulate imagination and creativity, and benefit the healthy growth of children. Promoting arts education and raising societal awareness of its importance, especially music education, is a key mission of the Lang Lang Arts Foundation.
The donation ceremony was live-streamed on various internet platforms, including the CCTV News App, Yangshipin, Sina Weibo, and Kwai. The Kwai live stream, CCTV News, and Sichuan Observation accumulated a total of 730,000 views, marking another successful attempt at charity live streaming. Additionally, numerous media outlets, including People’s Daily Online, Tibet Daily, CCTV Chinese Arts Report, and Sichuan Online, covered the event.
The year 2020 marks the decisive phase of China’s battle against poverty. As we move towards a moderately prosperous society, the significance of music education will become increasingly evident.
