Lang Lang International Music Foundation & Place2Be Partner for Youth Mental Health Day 2024: Celebrating Music's Impact on Wellbeing

18 September 2024 - Press release

The Lang Lang International Music Foundation is launching a new mental health initiative aimed at children and young people, highlighting the powerful connection between music and youth mental wellbeing. This initiative, marking Youth Mental Health Day on 19th September 2024, is a collaborative effort with leading children's mental health charity, Place2Be.

Lang Lang has been a dedicated advocate for youth music education through his Lang Lang Foundation, which has brought programs like "Keys of Inspiration" to state schools across the UK. This program sets up "piano labs" to provide accessible music education to students.

For this new initiative, the Lang Lang Foundation is joining forces with children’s mental health charity Place2Be, inviting musicians, music fans, and creatives to participate in the Uplift, Calm, Connect playlist project. The initiative encourages people to share songs that either calm them down, uplift their spirits, or help them feel more connected to the world around them. These contributions will be added to the playlist, which will be shared publicly to shine a light on the connection between music and mental health, particularly for young people.

Why Music and Mental Wellbeing?
Research has long suggested that music can have a profound impact on mental health, offering emotional relief, fostering connections, and providing comfort in challenging times. By creating this playlist, the Lang Lang Foundation and Place2Be aim to emphasise music’s role in promoting mental wellbeing among young people, encouraging creativity as a means of emotional expression and connection.

Lang Lang, founder of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, said:
“Having witnessed the growth of the Lang Lang Foundation in both China and the US over the years, I am now thrilled to see its wonderful developments in the UK. Implementing our education program in UK schools is a remarkable achievement, and our new initiatives in areas such as child bereavement, hospice care, and children’s mental health mark the beginning of something very special. We have very ambitious goals, and I very much look forward to expanding our impact here.”

Adele New, spokesperson for Place2Be, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership:
“It has been such an exciting opportunity for us to collaborate with the Lang Lang International Music Foundation on the Wellbeing Playlist project. Using creativity and art to support children’s mental health is at the heart of what we do, and this campaign offers space for young people and the adults around them to explore how music can help them feel uplifted, calmer, or connected with others.”

Oli Rose, Global Development Director for the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, also commented:
“The Lang Lang Foundation's impact in the UK over the past few years has been truly remarkable. Our mission to inspire and innovate in both music education and support for children in need has already brought significant change to many young lives through our core programs and spontaneous initiatives. Additionally, our collaborations with charities focused on child bereavement, hospice care, and children's mental health have powerfully demonstrated the crucial role music plays in a child's journey, especially during challenging times.”