Ocean Melodies

On a bitter cold night in late December, I climbed the stairs of the Great Hall of the People, passed through the airport-style security, traipsed across the vast expanse of marble and red carpet, presented my ticket to one of the many uniformly tall, short-haired, fit, and unsmiling male ushers (who definitely have other day jobs), and entered the main hall to attend what has become a hallowed tradition in contemporary China: the New Year's Concert.