Concerns about safety are looming large.
A subway musician expressed his anxiety over rising violent incidents underground while trying out for a prominent performance space during an MTA audition on Wednesday.
“Being a native New Yorker means you find ways to protect yourself. I’m trying to pick a station where there’s police around,” stated Channy’s Eliff, 42, from Harlem, who has mastered 70 instruments.
“The spot I feel most at ease is 50th Avenue on the downtown train, where there are people tasked with fare enforcement. Their vigilant presence gives me a sense of security,” Eliff added.
A total of 54 performers, ranging from opera to country, auditioned at Grand Central Station for a place in the MTA’s “Under New York” music initiative.
Only 20 of those musicians received an MTA pass, granting them access to perform at some of the busiest stations in the city, including Times Square.
One musician shared that he has had some near misses in recent months due to the spike in subway crimes.
“We’ve had our share of close calls. Let’s just call it a trial,” mentioned Tom Eaton, 24, a member of a brass band based in Troy, New York.
Data from April revealed a 9% increase in felony assaults within the subway system compared to the previous year, with numbers rising from 168 to 183. This represents a staggering 55% increase since before the pandemic in 2019.
In contrast, Nedelka Prescod, 54, from East Flatbush, mentioned she isn’t deterred from playing underground.
“My music is my ministry… the human voice can heal,” said Prescod, who teaches at the Berkeley College of Music in Boston. “Everyone has something good to share.”
She mentioned not feeling scared, partly because she noticed someone watching from above during her time underground.
“I’m a man of prayer. It’s about spreading light and love wherever I go,” she stated, reflecting on her time teaching in Fort Green during the ’90s crack epidemic.
A notable incident last year involved a group of women arresting 29-year-old cellist Iain S. Forrest while he played at Herald Square station.
Amira Hunter was taken into custody shortly after the incident and eventually held on a $10,000 bail. Meanwhile, Forrest resumed playing in the subway a month later, even performing the national anthem at a Knicks game and starting an advocacy group for subway performers.
