The Unknown Busker

Below is a letter to all the unknown buskers who brighten our streets with music and art. I don’t think any musician will ever fully realise the extent to which their work has impacted other people. Or how one seemingly insignificant encounter could influence and shape another person’s life. Many times, there are no opportunities to say thank you. But sometimes you can write a letter or leave a note. Please pass this along to all our beloved street musicians who bring music, life and art to our ordinary every day lives.

Dear Unknown Busker,

I know you won’t remember me, you probably aren’t even aware that our paths crossed. I ‘met’ you when I was a little girl. You were busking at the Belgrave shops near the bottom of the arcade. It was a lovely day, the sun was warm but not too hot, perfect weather for busking. I was accompanying my mother as she ran a collection of errands and then I heard it. The most beautiful sound in the world. It’s the first time I can remember hearing a flute played live. Your sound came drifting up the arcade, like shafts of light delicately dancing on the forest floor. It bounced from concrete wall to concrete wall, it sounded big and strong yet well refined and delicate. I remember seeing you holding the instrument, it looked so complicated and intricate.

As usual, I was dawdling and mum was in a rush. All I wanted was to stop and listen but another local had started talking to you. I’m sorry we never gave you any money. My father was sick and mum was struggling to feed a family of four.

But I wanted to thank you. Later on, I got the opportunity to learn an instrument at school and I remembered you and your sound, the most beautiful thing I had heard. My house was always full of classical music but there was just something about a live flute near the entrance of an arcade. So naturally, a chose flute. It wasn’t a popular instrument at my school. My school was very unusual at the time in that ¾ of the school learnt an instrument and the majority of them learnt strings.

Today I still play the flute and one of my favourite things to do it connect it up to a guitar reverb pedal, turn it up to the max and just play. Perhaps it reminds me of the sounds of your music. Which to me, it is still the most beautiful sound in the world.

Thank you for being the unknown busker and inspiring so many that you will never even meet.

Thanks

Emma Rogers (a.k.a The Techie Flutist)

Please pass this along to everyone you know who has taken the time to grace our streets with music and art.