# Performing in public?



## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Do any of you perform music in public?

I do, but enough about me lol (frogs do count, right?) Here's the UK follow up to the famous Joshua Bell experiment in New York:

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle...played-on-the-london-underground-8484779.html

The comments from passing pedestrians are quite amusing. Financially - here's the difference between Joshua Bell and Thomas Gould's playing in USA vs England:



> From his session at the US capital's L'Enfant Plaza, Bell earned $32.17 (£20.54). After Gould finished playing, a grand total of £15.06 had accumulated in his fiddle case.


Perhaps Joshua Bell played better?


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed reading that


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I used to do a great deal of performing as a horn player until about ten years or so when I had to give up because of a neurological disorder . I performed freelance in so many different orchestras, concert bands, opera companies etc . I really miss performing , but I'm so badly out of practice that I'll never be able to regain my playing ability .and I can't get around any more because of my disability .


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

I only perform for friends and acquaintances. I have provided the music for a few weddings with my violin and with the piano.

I prefer performing on the piano.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

The only time I performed as a schoolgirl violinist, I made an enormous glitch - an extra DA-DUM in March Militaire! I was so mortified, I gave up the instrument. And since taking it up again in retirement, I performed once for some dance friends, and my bow shook like a jelly. So I'm obviously not cut out for it. (And yet, I do think that performing, even 'just for friends', gives a point to one's practising, she sighed wistfully.)


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## rrudolph (Sep 15, 2011)

I do it as often as I can and will continue to do so until I reach the age where someone physically bars me from a stage in order to keep me from making a fool of myself (probably someone should have done that years ago, but so far noone has).


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

I love performing. For friends, or anyone at all. It doesn't scare me. *Auditions scare me.* Not really scare me, but they make me uncomfortable because the audition panel only gets to see a snapshot of your ability, and if a mistake is made, that snapshot isn't pretty lol.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Busker right here. I found a great busking spot recently, made $22 in 20 minutes.


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

With our current US$ to sterling pound exchange rate, you did better than the British Joshua Bell! 
Just goes to show you ... talent does not pay lol 



(j/k) 


Interesting spread of performing musicians' responses here too 

I haven't performed since I was in school although had no inhibitions about performing; just did it mechanically because my parents asked me to 

Now things are different. I feel a burning desire to terrorise the neighbour with baroque flute music and edumacate those rap listening philistines that lips don't have to move like rubber tyres and make unpleasant noise like flatulence...not that they'd care or even think but anyway.... 

I'd play any and everywhere - in a cafe (if the owner doesn't object); one lady told me that she hadn't heard a song I played in decades (from my book of collected classic folk music  ); or in one of the city's large open parks; in an underground train, by inland lakes and woods; in an abandoned monastery, by the beach or at 4000metres above sea level. 

Unlike Thomas Gould, I take the view that people are incidental, unless they are commuter-irritants :lol:


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Right ! Auditioning is not for the faint of heart ! I've auditioned for the New York Philharmonic, the Washington National sym, the New Jersey sym, the L.A. Phil, and other orchestras , and it's a traumatic experience . Lately, many auditioning musicians have been taking beta blocker pills, which supposedly 
ease your nerves when auditioning . However, consult your doctor about this, because there can be serious side effects, such as potential heart problems .
A cellist friend of mine who used to be a regular extra with the New York Phil . says a cellist friend of his 
was able to ge tinto the finals at auditions because they made him calmer , where he had previously been unable to get past the preliminary rounds . I ownder if this might be something of a placebo effect .


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## hreichgott (Dec 31, 2012)

I perform in public and I enjoy it very much.

Playing for judges, now, that is stressful. Or playing for recording equipment. But I summon the courage and do it anyway.

Even more stressful than all of the above? Making small talk at parties....


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

I perform in 3 or 4 eisteddfods a year. And when my teacher says "Have you gone busking yet?" I usually look guilty and say no... ut:


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

Who is Thomas Gould?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

jurianbai said:


> Who is Thomas Gould?


A better violinist than Joshua Bell, no doubt.


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

Lol...half kidding. Can be. I trully unable to recall the name. Among the British violinists I can think of is Andrew Manze alike.

Always think that the ultimate goal in learning instruments is to play in public alias busking.

If research on the income potential resulting in positive figures, that will explained the existance of this 'profession'.


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