By Janelle Gelfand
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Twenty-year-old Chinese piano phenom Lang Lang makes his debut with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra this weekend. Here's his conversation by cell phone last week.

"Hi, I'm walking down the street in Chicago. I started playing piano when I was 3 years old. I listened to music - both classical and Chinese traditional music - when I was 2 years old. My father and my grandfather play erhu. That's a Chinese instrument that looks like a violin with two strings. My family is all very musical."

IF YOU GO

What: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Jahja Ling, conductor; Lang Lang, piano When: 7:30 p.m. today; 11 a.m. Friday; 8 p.m. Saturday Where: Music Hall The program: Bernard Rands, Tre Canzoni senza parole (Three Songs Without Words); Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 2; Dvorak, Symphony No. 6 Tickets: $12.50-$52.50; discounts available; 381-3300 or Web site

What made you start piano?

"Sorry?" (Crackle) "When I touched it, I just loved it. I think it's much more interesting than Chinese instruments ... I had an upright, Chinese-made piano at home.

"I grew up in ... (gurgle) Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? ... Shen Yang; it used to be the capital of Manchuria Province, in the northeast part of China."

How did you end up at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia?

"It's a real story. I started concertizing in Asia, because I won the Tchaikovsky (Young Musicians) Competition. Afterwards, many European schools wanted me to study there. I played a recital when I was 13, in New York and Boston - the 24 Chopin Etudes. (Gurgle, crackle) Then I played an audition for Curtis, and studied with Mr. Gary Graffman.

You're breaking up. Do you have perfect pitch? A photographic memory?

"This cell phone probably has some problems. Like, when I was 5 years old, I already gave my first recital and I played some Liszt. I still have the videotape. When I was 9 years old, I played Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1. When I was 10, I started Rachmaninoff Third. I just like to learn those pieces and I'm pretty quick. It's kind of natural for me."

When you stepped in for Andre Watts, you were 17. Did that make you nervous?

"I never feel nervous. That was a very big surprise for me. I was supposed to play an audition for the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia (the orchestra's summer home). Suddenly, Andre got sick. It was really short notice. I flew to Chicago, and Maestro Isaac Stern introduced me to the stage.

"Afterwards, Mr. (Zubin) Mehta asked me to play the Bach Goldberg Variations, at 2 a.m. We went back to the concert hall, after the party. We were still not sleepy. I played the entire thing ... I was really feeling kind of crazy. So that changed my career. Right away, I was invited to play with all the American and European orchestras, and play a recital in Carnegie Hall.

"Now, I'm very excited. I just signed (a five-year-contract) with the Deutsche Grammophon (record) label. So this week, we are making the first recording: the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Chicago Symphony and Maestro Daniel Barenboim. That's why I'm in Chicago."

What's it like to be 20 years old and touring around as a star of the concert stage?

"It's a wonderful feeling, actually. It was always, like, a dream for me when I was a little child, to be a world-class pianist. Sometimes it's very exhausting, but it's very joyful, because you're working with great musicians. You feel so lucky to have this kind of thing.

"Normally when I'm free I'm playing pingpong and I watch my countryman in the NBA, (7-foot-5 center) Yao Ming. We're both Chinese, and he has a good career. It's nice to watch. We have a plan to meet. We're always not in the same place, but we hope we can do something together."

Are you a basketball player, too?

"No, I'm not that tall (laughs). I'm playing pingpong, and I like to play golf. Hold on a second (muffled conversation with companion). It's my first time in Cincinnati. I've worked with Jahja Ling, and he's a great guy.

"Here we are. Take care. Bye bye!"

E-mail jgelfand@enquirer.com