Music in the Streets
As you go home after a hard day’s work, and you get off the metro train,
sometimes you have to walk a long way to the exit or to change trains. Suddenly
in the noise, some music is heard. Those are street musicians. You take out a coin
from your pocket and throw it into their hat or instrument case. These
musicians bring color and life to the city streets. Street musicians are aged
between 17 and 30 years. Some of them are men, some women. They play classical
music, pop or folk music, old and new songs. Many musicians are former
university students or professional musicians.
Andrew Hain, for example, was once a music student, but he gave up music
and became a painter. Now he plays in the underground because he doesn’t want
to forget how to play. His girlfriend is a painter, too. She helps him to
collect the money. Another street musician, David MacNell, tells new players:
“Learn new songs all the time, or else you’ll have fewer and fewer
listeners. Wear bright clothes to attract attention. Make sure that the places
where you choose to play are warm. The best places are and bridges certainly
the underground.”
On Sundays, Hyde Park is the best place as the speakers here address the
people. The street musicians are doing business with their the many tourists
who visit the park. The weather is one of the worst problems. It is not so easy
to play the violin or the guitar on a rainy day in November London and try to
smile.
A much worse problem is the police. From time to time, they come, and the
musicians are moved to a different place. True, they are not often fined. One
musician told me:
“The policeman asked me what I was doing. I said I was just practising.
Some money just fell out of my pocket into the guitar case, and I was told to
leave my place. I think it’s not fair. People love street music. It makes the
city more attractive.”
Exercise 1. Read
the text «Music in the Streets» again and complete the sentences according to
the text.
1. Street musicians are
a) men b) women
c) men and women
2. According to the text, street
musicians
a) bring color and life to city
streets.
b) make more noise in the streets.
c) make traffic more difficult
3. Street musicians play
a) old songs b) new songs. c) old
and new songs.
4. Andrew Hain plays in the streets
because he
a) needs money.
b) does not want to forget how to
play.
c) wants to become famous.
5. The worst problem for the
musicians is
a) weather b) the police c) the
weather or the police
Exercise 2. Say true
or false.
1.
Street musicians are aged between 17
and 30 years.
2.
Andrew Hain, for example, was once a
music professor.
3.
On Mondays, Hyde Park is the best
place for street musicians.
4.
The weather is one of the worst
problems for street musicians.
5.
Street musicians are very often
fined.
Exercise 3.Complete the
sentences.
1.
Andrew Hain gave up music and became
a ____________.
2.
The street musicians are doing
business with their the many __________ who visit the Hyde Park.
3.
It is not so easy to play the violin
or the _________ on a rainy day in November London
4.
Make sure that the places where you
choose to play are _________.
Exercise 4. Answer the questions.
1.
Why should street musicians wear
bright clothes?
2.
What are the best places for street
musicians?
3.
Which is worse for street musicians – the
weather or the police?
4.
Why do street musicians need to
learn new songs all the time?
Exercise 5. Say
why street musicians like their job and what their problems are.
