The cover of Lang Lang's eighth album, "Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4". - sina,com.cn

Chinese young pianist Lang Lang has been nominated for Best Instrumental Soloist at the upcoming 50th Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy announced on Thursday. It is the first time a Chinese musician has appeared on Grammy's list of nominees.

The 25-year-old pianist earned the nomination for his eighth album, "Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4", on which he collaborated with world-famous conductor Christoph Eschenbach. The album was launched in the North American market in May and reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Classical Albums chart within one week.

"Lang Lang called me immediately after the nomination was announced last night. Both of us were very excited. We have been expecting a Grammy award for a long time, and it is not easy for a classical soloist to win it," Lang Guoren, father of Lang Lang told the Chinese website sina.com on Thursday.

The father revealed Lang had been invited to collaborate with another pop pianist to play Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue at the awards ceremony.

The Grammys will be held on February 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on the American TV network CBS.