# .... Busking



## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

have you ever think of the idea of you going... busking / street performing? after all the music skill you've got.

what is your story / experience on memorable "performance" you got? whether it was classical or not. and do you likely give money to them?

I've seen "serious" busker in big city as Singapore, Brisbane, Sidney, HK etc. that they really a decent street level musician "enjoying" themself on the street, though maybe they really doing this as a living job.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

There were quite a few good buskers here.

One of them was a violinist called Sky, who played light music types of things, a bit like Andre Rieu. A friend of mine bought his CD & it's pretty good.

Another one was a classically trained guitarist hailing from Tasmania, Tom Ward. The same friend has got both his CD's, Mr Ward is no slouch for technique, eg. on one of them he plays Villa-Lobos' preludes superbly. But when he busks he doesn't play much classical, it's more popular flamenco type things.

There was also another group from the USA or Latin America, dressed up as Native American Indians & playing that type of music, with pan pipes and drums. I've got one of their discs which is pretty good stuff, but I can't remember the group's name...


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

those are lucky player that land to recording industry. 

yes, that's possibly one way to make luck to yourself. At Queen street (Brisbane) I've seen people playing sax, marimba (or maybe xylophone) and they were good.

The Latin American Indians groups is popular "theme", I think they are up here in SIngapore as well.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Well, the CD's my friend & I bought from these buskers were self-published in small runs. Many groups are doing this now to get around having to get a contract with one of the big record companies, which is near impossible. Even some of the professional groups (not to talk of semi-professional & amateur) make recordings by self-publishing. It seems it's like the way to go if you want to get your music out there cheaply and easily...


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aah, the best busker I ever heard was a flautist in a lovely winding little street in Siena. I stayed for about an hour listening to him, in this most beautiful of ancient towns. Golden memory.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

My most memorable buskers were a cello player in Victoria, British Columbia, and a violin player in Nashville. Both were excellent classical players, and I don't think they were doing it for the money, just to share their gift.


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

My current partner did busking in the Covent Garden piazza for years. That's how I picked him up, when he did "Nessun Dorma" on Valentine's Day and I said he reminded me of Jussi Bjorling. :lol:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Operafocus said:


> My current partner did busking in the Covent Garden piazza for years. That's how I picked him up, when he did "Nessun Dorma" on Valentine's Day and I said he reminded me of Jussi Bjorling. :lol:


He he, nothing like arrant flattery to get a guy:lol:.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

May have mentioned this before... but about a decade ago, we (i.e.: my wife & me) encountered a flutist in a pedestrian tunnel that's part of the path between the Field Museum and the Adler Planterium in Chicago. My wife (more than me) stayed to listen- and between pieces, she said something like "you're good... I'm not just saying that- I _am_ classically trained-- I can tell; you're really good."

We heard something of his story- he was a recent emigree from one of the Baltic republics- Lithuania, if I recall correctly. The man sort-of asked if she had any connections in the local music scene. Unfortunately, she couldn't help out with that, because she's from an entirely different metropolitan area. He probably _did_ get his biggest gratuity of the day from us, though.


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

I used to spend my weekends street performing while I went to UOP. With my guitar I would play Tarrega's method from end to end, weekend after weekend.


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## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

If I could drag a piano out into the street...


There was a big article in a magazine about busking the other day. Turns out it doesn't matter what you play, but where and when you make noise.


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