Early last year the pianist Niu Niu, like many classical musicians, canceled his concerts because of COVID-19. Disappointed, depressed and anxious, he stayed at home in Xiamen, Fujian province, and played the piano six hours a day.

"Usually I give nearly 40 shows a year, and suddenly everything had been turned upside down," says the pianist, whose real name is Zhang Shengliang.

"During the year I had to cancel one concert after another, about 20 shows, and it was heartbreaking."

He also postponed the release of an album dedicated to marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven.