Commuters and tourists gathered in Grand Central's Vanderbilt Hall yesterday to watch the MTA's 25th Annual Music Under New York (MUNY) auditions. With five minutes each to convince 33 judges of their musical aptitude, 70 hopefuls vied for a chance to be added to the roster of 350 musicians performing over 7,500 subterranean shows each week.
Standout performers included 19-year-old harpist Emily Hopkins, a Long Island native currently pursuing a BA in Music Performance at Hunter College. She had judges and onlookers alike captivated with a brilliant rendition of the Beatles' "Yesterday" and Marcel Tournier's "Lolita, La Danseuse". If Hopkins is selected as one of the 25 newcomers to the program, listen carefully for angelic strums at Columbus Circle. "59th Street would be an ideal location," she said with a grin. "It echoes so well and there are so many people to share my music with." The petite Hopkins isn't worried how she'll transport her impressive stringed instrument, noting, "there's an elevator at that station, too!"
The diverse roundup of performances included blue grass trios, R&B singers, accordion players, a Shakespearean hip-hop artist, and a brass quartet. ("Hula Girl" was a no-show.) More than 200 musicians submitted an application this year just for the privilege of an audition—which means 130 couldn't even get an audition to perform in the subway. SHOW BIZ!
It's worth noting that as long as buskers abide by a certain set of rules, a permit isn't required to perform underground. But only those chosen by a selective panel of judges—from MTA reps to music professionals—are allowed to wow the crowds at 25 coveted station locations designated as MUNY performances spaces, such as Grand Central and Times Square.
