Photo by Barry Langer.
A crowd gathered around violinists from the New York Philharmonic playing for the public on Broadway and 65th in front of Bed Bath and Beyond.
It’s part of a Philharmonic street corner concert program. Musicians travel around in a pickup truck and play impromptu concerts. (The locations aren’t announced in advance.)
Barry Langer was there and we asked him how many people were watching:
“I would say 40-50 people. Some people just walked by. I don’t understand how anyone could just walk by…And on such a beautiful evening. It was very moving to experience. Only in NYC…
I have long-time friends who live around the country. Some news outlets are reporting that the UWS is being abandoned and they are concerned for my wife and me. The photos of back-to-back moving trucks are being shown. I’m forcefully telling them that we are alive and well here on the UWS! And I just sent them these photos.”
Photo by Barry Langer.
There was a time, beginning in the early 80s, when Columbus avenue was a stroll where musicians, mostly young, would play almost every evening with a tips hat on the sidewalk.
It was lovely. There were classically trained musicians in quartets, quintets and many other formats playing for the love of playing, practice and for handouts.
I’m a little surprised that these times have not caused the current generation to copy that, especially now that people are out and about with masks mostly necessary, making the risk of infection very low, and the fact that playing gigs are mostly on hold.
That wonderful era of “street performers” ended abruptly due to what were called “street people” harassing and robbing them. The “passed hats” 🎩 were stolen.
I wonder if a return of mimes, dancers and musicians could be facilitated by our cultural institutions inviting them onto their “public plazas” to perform?
That’s why NYC will survive….reference op-ed by Jerry Seinfeld Can hardly wait for return visit from Canada
Talio on 92 has a fabulous singer with piano and guitar on Wed nites outside.It reminded me of Paris