ROSATERESA: "My mission is to sing like the jilguero. The jilguero is a Puerto Rican bird -- I'm Puerto Rican -- that wakes up the sun."
Players like Rawl Mitchell and Rosateresa perform on their own. They are not part of the transit system's official "Music Under New York" program. That program offers one hundred fifty weekly performances, including American bluegrass and African kora music.
The only money the musicians earn is whatever the people listening choose to give them.
(SOUND)
On this day, Patricia Vital and Tom McNichols are finding a small but supportive audience. They are members of a group called Opera Collective. They say they love performing opera in the subway, even though they do not earn much.
TOM McNICHOLS: "Music in general is not for the money, and music under New York is definitely more about making opera more accessible than it is about making a living."
Folk singer Wendy Sayvetz has performed in train stations for more than twenty years. She has also performed at the White House. She says people who think subway musicians do not like being subway musicians are wrong.
WENDY SAYVETZ: "What they don't get is that we actually love this gig."
In fact, Ms. Sayvetz and a partner are developing a musical play about subway musicians.
WENDY SAYVETZ: "It's not about 'Oh, we don't have to play in the subway anymore.' We want people to go, 'Oh, subway music is the best thing!'"
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25