Several years ago, Time Magazine had an interesting article about street musicians. One of the musicians the article talked about was, I thought, particularly interesting. It may work only in New York, but you may find some ingenious way to modify it for your own use.

Bill (let's call him) comes home from an afternoon of having lunch at a posh restaurant and visiting with friends. He parks his Porsche in the parking garage of his condominium and takes the elevator upstairs to his apartment to change to his work clothes. He hangs his Italian silk suit in the closet and kicks off his Gucci loafers, then dresses in beat-up jeans, a sweatshirt with holes in the elbows, and a pair of scruffy sneakers with one of his toes partially visible. He picks up his violin case and takes the subway to Broadway. He goes to a theater where a hit musical has just opened and a crowd has gathered, waiting to get in. He opens his violin case, leaves the case open beside him, and puts a sign in it saying "Please help me with my tuition at Julliard." He tunes his violin and begins playing tunes from the show the people are about to see. Coins and bills gather in his violin case. The crowd goes in, he collects the money, cases up the fiddle, and goes for a cup of coffee. Roughly and hour later (varies with the show) he returns, sets up his fiddle case and sign, and plays for the people who have come out during intermission for some fresh air or a smoke. More coins and bills. Quite a few more. He goes and has a beer, returns, and does it again for the people coming out of the theater at the end of the show. If the show is really good, many, many coins and bills rain into his fiddle case. After the crowd disperses, he packs up and goes on his way.

Interviewer asks, "Bill, how much money do you make in an evening?"

"I average about $200 a night. Sometimes as much as $300."

"That much!?? How soon will you graduate from Julliard?"

"Yeah, that much!" Big grin. "Actually, I graduated nine years ago."

"Well, you are obviously a very talented musician. Why don't you try for a concert career?"

"I know my abilities and my limitations. I'm good, but I'm not really that good."

"Well, how about playing in a symphony orchestra?"

"That would be steady work, but as long as they keep cranking out musicals, I have steady work now. And, believe me, I am making more money playing a two or three times a week in front of a theater than I could ever make playing in an orchestra. I practice and learn new tunes, but I don't have to go to rehearsals. My time is my own. Life is good!"

I dunno, but maybe there's something in there that you might be able to use. Anyway, I think it's a noble ambition. Good luck!

Don Firth