BMF walk capturing: Beijing's raw sonic notes

The 29th Beijing Music Festival has just wrapped up, marking Mozart's 270th birthday with everything from timeless symphonies to boundary‑pushing classical‑rock performances. Orchestras warm up before every show, but Julian Waghann wanted to hear Beijing itself tune up. He roamed from Beijing's 600‑year‑old Qianmen gate to the NCPA, collecting his own city sound motifs – from tram bells and teahouse pours, to ear chimes and bike bells – all before seeing the live orchestra!