Lang Lang: China’s piano mums are less pushy these days

Interesting statements from the superstar in the WSJ:

There are 50 million kids learning piano now in China. If you asked me 10 years ago, I’d be worried. Back then, the parents were so pushy. Now, it’s much better. Back then, it was four grandparents, mother and father—everything is on one child.

Are Chinese parents really serious about practicing?

People think they’re serious, but they’re not that serious anymore. Most of the kids want to learn. They can end up like pop star Jay Chou or Lady Gaga or Alicia Keys or Herbie Hancock. A lot of my classmates in Juilliard were Asian, but it’s not like today. The head of Juilliard piano has 25 students—23 are Chinese. Some are American-Chinese. But it’s incredible. The thing is, when Asian students are practicing hard, it makes the American students practice hard.

Discuss.