Lang Lang to play himself in The Flying Machine

Chinese pianist Lang Lang plays himself in The Flying Machine, a 3D film that premiered on Aug 30. It is the first time the 29-year-old has starred in a feature film.

The film, combining live action and animation, tells how Lang Lang, a pianist, whisks away a mother and her children on a magic piano to experience Polish pianist Chopin's life.

Lang Lang plays 12 etudes of Chopin in the film. At the premiere in Beijing he said the film would help more people understand the great Polish musician.

China Philharmonic ends Open the Door to Arts festival

The 2011 Open the Door to Arts Summer Art Festival concluded at the Forbidden City Concert Hall with a concert by the China Philharmonic Orchestra.

The festival, that began in July and lasted 56 days, presented 65 performances, 14 lectures and six summer camps for children. Nearly 1,000 Chinese and international musicians participated in it.

Founded in 1994 by the Forbidden City Concert Hall, Open the Door to Arts Summer Art Festival is aimed at providing children more opportunities to enjoy music at reasonable cost during the summer vacation.

The program this year included Western classical music, traditional Chinese music, jazz, Peking Opera and acrobatics.

Next year, the festival will feature a "China-Germany Art Summer Camp for Children", to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the "sister cites" of Beijing and Cologne.

'Chinese Tourists in Japan' contest awards presented

The award ceremony for the first "Chinese Tourists in Japan" DVand Photography competition was held in Beijing recently.

The contest, which got underway in December 2010, received many DV and photography works from Chinese tourists, on the landscape, culture and people of Japan. Fifteen works in 10 categories were awarded.

Organized by www.people.com.cn and supported by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan Tourism Agency and Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the competition was aimed at encouraging more Chinese people to Japan.

Concert salutes national flag and its guardians

Young vocalist Ziqi recently held a concert with guards of the national flag at Tian'anmen Square, at China Agricultural University.

Titled Salute to the National Flag, the program included patriotic songs such as The Waving Red Flag, Missing Fellow Soldier, and Loving Heart Forever.

Ziqi, who won the golden award at the National Televised Young Singers' Competition, says the concert was dedicated to the flag guards.