Don Witter, Jr., spent 20 years as a computer network systems analyst, pursuing his music after work. But increasing pressures in the office led him to quit in 1994. Now he's taking care of business every day, as the song goes. It's hard to become an official Music Under New York musician, Witter says. Once a year, the Music in Public Spaces organization holds auditions.
Artists send in tapes and resumes.
Some of them are called to perform for five minutes before five musicians and five MTA officials at Grand Central. If the judges like what they hear, the artist is added to the roster. Right now, about 100 artists are on the list, calling in every two weeks to get four to six bookings in various subway stations. It's tempting to call a childhood spent playing with crocodiles in the Brazilian jungle good preparation for life as a subway musician, but Camila Benson would disagree. Playing on the subway gives her money through tips, and also gets her leads for above-ground gigs.