Recently, numerous curbside piano booths have popped up in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. Equipped with air-conditioners, these mini-stations are open 24/7 to anyone who wishes to practice in a relatively private setting. People can simply log onto a mini program on Chinese super app Weixin to make free reservations for practice sessions inside these booths. Those who are beginners can also connect to an app where they can find free piano tutorials.
It's no accident that these facilities made their debut in Shenzhen, where there has been a continuous influx of domestic migrants for decades. Many of them, still caught up in the daily struggle of trying to settle into their new surroundings, cannot afford a piano. What's more, these new settlers usually live in staff quarters in high-rise apartment buildings, where piano practice is often considered a nuisance.
This April, a video of a 56-year-old construction worker playing a street piano in Shenzhen went immensely viral online. And now, countless piano booths have found their way into high streets and parks across the city. Trivial as they may seem, these tiny booths are part of the city's ongoing effort to create a more welcoming and sustainable urban environment.
(Beijing Evening News, September 21)