Chinese pianist Lang Lang guides blind student Lai Jiajun in playing the piano at the first class in the music hall of China's National Grand Theater on Friday, January 4, 2008.

Chinese pianist Lang Lang taught the inaugural piano class in the music hall of China's National Grand Theater on Friday.

His solo concerts on Thursday and Friday were also the theater's first solo concerts.

The class was part of the National Grand Theater's art promotion project. Famous musicians and art groups will be invited to teach for the benefit of the public.

At the first class, Lang Lang guided five students, including one blind student, in playing piano. The students were invited to ask Lang Lang questions, and were also given the opportunity to play piano with him.

Web site sina.com.cn reported that Lang Lang donated all of the revenues from the two concerts and the class to the art education fund of the National Grand Theater for the use of art promotion.

A signing activity for Lang Lang's two albums was held after Friday's concert. "Dragon Songs" is the first globally released pure Chinese music album, while "Beethoven Piano Concerto 1 & 4" is Lang Lang's first recorded compilation of Beethoven works, and the first album produced in cooperation with his teacher, famous conductor Christoph Eschenbach.

(CRI January 7, 2008)