I perform because of my need to self-express and to connect with people who are stirred by the same emotions I have for the music I share and play. Also, I want to encourage other musicians out there to do the same and hopefully popularize busking more in the Philippines, and have more establishments and venues support the art of street performing.
I used to go to High Street after work hours to jog around the nearby parks. To cool down, I would usually stop by to enjoy listening to the buskers in the B3 and B7 areas. I figured that for days when I am not jogging, it would be great if I could do the same and play music. I have played as a bass player in bands before and do miss performing live. So I visited the BGC Impromptu page, filled out the form, submitted my audition videos and as the cliché goes, the rest is history.
When life gets a little overwhelming, music has always been my “master reset button”. Quite ironically, it is through standing untiringly for hours busking that I am able to destress. Playing in the streets and establishing connections through live music with random people passing by is such a lovely feeling to chase! On top of [this], I do [it] for the 14-year-old kid in me that dreamt of one day being able to share music he has written to the public. I am fueled by the fact that I don’t think it's ever too late to chase some of your childhood pipedreams. Busking has provided me not only with a stage for my music but also a platform to reach out to people who are able to help others in need. When people see my busking tips are going to charity, I have observed that people in High Street are quite generous if not more so. Coming out of 2020, that is simply amazing considering everyone has in one way or the other been affected by the pandemic. It would be great if we can further use this platform to either create more social awareness on things like charity and causes.
The best thing about being a partner of a science and art organization such as BAFI is that it has enabled me to support two things I am passionate about: educating kids and music.
I occasionally use my busking platform as a means to raise funds for charity and victims of natural disasters. When I found out about the Mind S-Cool project and how it provides online subscriptions to public school beneficiaries, I was able to partner with them to donate a month’s worth of busking tips to a class of grade 11 students at Tipas National High School in Taguig. This enabled them to continue their education even during the pandemic through the free online subscriptions received.
Society benefits a lot from the arts. It is a reflection of our culture, it promotes tourism, and provides a canvas for self-expression. I am extremely proud to be associated with an organization that is not only recognized as an ambassador for the arts but is also a strong advocate of educating the next generation of musicians and artists.
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