Composer David Lang honors his father with ‘Sunray’

During the Bang on a Can All-Stars’ performance of DAVID LANG’s Sunray last week, some in the audience may have noticed the composer inconspicuously seated in Dinkelspiel Auditorium next to a genial and dignified silver-haired gentleman.

Lang composed Sunray for the 80^th birthday of his father, DR. DANIEL LANG. That was four years ago but, ironically, his father had never heard the piece performed.

But after talking about his dad with CYNTHIA HAVEN of the Stanford News Service, Lang decided to rectify the problem. He invited his father, who had always wanted his son to follow in his footsteps as a doctor, to Stanford for the West Coast premiere of the piece.

Presumably, the good doctor has reconciled himself to his son’s Pulitzer Prize-winning vocation. Accepting the invitation, he flew in for the concert. Friends said he was delighted to be here, and grinning from ear to ear.