China once again earned international recognition when one of its sons, pianist Lang Lang, became the first Chinese to win the coveted Spanish Premios Ondas Award on Jan. 27 in Barcelona, Spain.
Lang received the award in recognition to his life's work, bringing his own brand of classical music to the world, specifically to younger audiences.
The 32-year-old pianist received the Special Mention of Music's Award during the 61st Ondas Awards Ceremony 2014 held at the Gran Teatre del Liceu and performed live on stage.
Lang said in an interview that "to receive this award is an encouragement for me, and I will try my best to continue promoting music to children across the world, make them appreciate classical music."
On Nov. 13, 2014, Wang made waves in the international scene when he won the prestigious German Bambi Award in Berlin for his outstanding works in the field of classical music.
Also last year, Lang received the International Artist of the Year Award at the Classic Brit Awards held in Britain. Like the Premios Ondas, Lang was also the first Chinese to receive the said award.
Radio Barcelona, a subsidiary of Cadena SER, has been awarding the Premios Ondas annually since 1954. Also known as Ondas Awards, the title literally means "wave awards" in Spanish. It is being awarded to professionals who are making "waves" in various fields including radio, television, cinema and music industry in recognition of their contributions to world culture.
Previous recipients include well-known groups and individuals who made lasting marks in world arts such as U2, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers and pop latin singer Ricky Martin, to name a few.