Pianist Lang Lang plans 15-city tour featuring 'Goldberg Variations'

Pianist Lang Lang announced an upcoming 15-city tour in China on Monday in Beijing.

Featuring the Goldberg Variations by Bach, the pianist will kick off the tour in Changsha, Central China's Hunan province, on April 2 and will visit Chinese cities, including Changzhou in East China's Jiangsu province, Shenyang in Northeast China's Liaoning province, Qingdao in East China's Shandong province and Southwest China's Chongqing.

On Sept 4, Lang Lang released an album featuring his studio and live recordings of the Goldberg Variations.

Bach published the Goldberg Variations in 1741 and today it is considered one of the best examples of its type. Written for the harpsichord, the work consists of 30 variations and an aria.

Lang, who was born in Shenyang, started to play the piano at age 3. He was introduced to Bach's music by his first teacher, Chinese pianist Zhu Yafen, and began exploring the Goldberg Variations when still a teenager.