Piano prodigy Ryan Wang gave a one-of-a-kind private concert for 101-year-old Dorothy Landry, months after dazzling audiences on “The Ellen Show” and performing at the esteemed Carnegie Hall. In a touching concert organized by the Canadian digital music distributor CBC Music, 5-year-old Ryan performed “Variations on an Inner Mongolian Folk Song” exclusively for Landry.
Even though Dorothy has been Ryan’s fan since he was three years old, her hearing impairment made it difficult for her to appreciate his concert performance. Because of this, CBC Music set up a private performance so she could have a more intimate encounter with music.
Dorothy sat in her wheelchair in the little room, with Ryan sitting next to her. Ryan, who looked very young, had a huge teddy bear in his hands and was bouncing on his feet. After Ryan told “Grandma Dorothy” how much it meant to him to play for her, she couldn’t help but beam with excitement at the impact the performance had on her.
Dorothy went out of her way to return the favor, calling Ryan a “very special little person” and expressing her excitement for his upcoming appearances. She really asked Ryan to come see her again after his impending trip to China and thanked him profusely. Intergenerational ties and music’s global language are exemplified by this one-of-a-kind musical connection.