Diary Of A Busker Day 112 Wednesday June 8th Winchester High Street (1. opposite Clarks, Time: 11:55-12:20pm, 2. opposite Whittards, Time: 12:42-1:55pm, 3. outside Debenhams (Fire escape) Time: 2:20-3:10pm, 4. outside Debenhams, Time: 3:40-4:40pm.)
It looks like it’s going to rain today so I’m hoping to be able to set up somewhere along the covered side of the high street for quick shelter if I need be…and it appears there are no other buskers about so I’m alright. Proceedings begin with my newest set recruit, recent Song Of The Day – Edelweiss. At the end, a couple of schoolgirls, aged about 9,in light blue dresses come out from behind the pillar on my left and put some coins in the bucket, followed by a lady who says “The girls like that one – Edelweiss.” “Do they? How do they know it, it’s an old song?” “They’ve been singing it, haven’t you, girls? They know it from The Sound Of Music and that Andrew Lloyd Webber show, whatever it was called…Maria something or other.” By now a few more girls have appeared. Who are they and what are they doing here in the high street? They are a class of 9 year olds from St. Swithuns School, a “posh” girls’ school on the outskirts of Winchester and they’re doing a project on the shops all along the street, they’ve all got a map of the street with the names of the shops on either side. The girls are all very polite and a bit shy. I know what I’ll do, I’ll ask them if they would like to sing Edelweiss while I play it. The lady with them, who must be a guardian/teacher likes this idea. She quickly gets them all to stand behind me.
I’ve got no idea of their key but suspect it must be, if not the original (Bb), then pretty close. I do it in A, down one semitone from Bb. They’re counted in while I do a quiet A chord – just to “suggest” a pitch…and they’re off. And they sound great. There’s no harmony, all 8 of them are singing the melody but they’ve obviously had lessons. It sounds great, it’s like being in a film! People walk by smiling (most of them), of course. Some stop to listen, some even give money – and pound coins, too. It’s a short song and finished in less than two minutes. A shame, as we were enjoying ourselves. What about another one? Somewhere Over The Rainbow perhaps? – it goes well with Edelweiss. Yes, the girls know that one too. Again they sing and again it sounds great, apart from their accompanist who fluffs a chord or two. More coins enter the bucket and this time a note of reasonable denomination is discreetly shoved into my hand by the girls’ singing coach, who was in a shop behind us, but hearing what must be familiar melodious tones, has rushed out to investigate. She’s clearly thrilled to find her girls performing “impromptu” out here in the high street, and with a guitar accompaniment. At the end, people clap and there’s more money. I chat with the two ladys and the girls for a bit and find out all the girls also play instruments as well as sing. They thank me, “No”, I say “thank YOU, the pleasure’s all mine.” We say goodbye, me – to the posh, polite and talented St. Swithuns girls, and they….to the high street busker. I look in the bucket, with the note from the singing coach I’ve made about £18 – in less than 10 minutes. A strange and charmed life, indeed I think – at times like these anyway…which don’t happen too often. (the girls wouldn’t have any of the money, I did try – not too forcefully, though).
Shortly after they left, it pours down and I have to stop and move my stuff back a couple of feet undercover. The rain stops and I move back out, but 10 feet down from where I was, just for a slight change of scenery. After a while, a duo of violin and guitar start up near The Buttercross, which isn’t far enough away, really. A bit cheeky I think, but I don’t mind as I’ve done alright, thanks to the Winchester Von Trapps of earlier.
I pack up and move down to the far end of the street, to Debenhams. Not wanting to get wet (I can see it’s one of those days where it’s going to suddenly pour down then suddenly stop, all through the day), I have a clever idea – I set up in the recessed doorway – the fire exit doorway and play for almost an hour…and not one person gives me money. My theory is that I look like a tramp in a doorway and this is my home, my folded guitar bag – a dark heap behind me, probably looks like my sleeping bag. I move out and set up a few feet up – if it rains I can quickly move back.
I’m able to play for another hour – and have a worrying episode as I start into Solace – A Mexican Serenade. My mind goes blank at the second bar and I stop. I start again but stop again at the same place. Again and again. I give up and go into something else. It starts raining again. I stop, that’s the end. I pack up.
Earnings: £49.77p.
On the way home I notice one of my regulars, the Councillor, having a refreshment in a coffee bar/ newsagents. I pop in to say hello and while there, he introduces me to a bearded man on his way out. This is Kevin, and he’s an “Egghead”, apparently on the TV all the time. Also just leaving, a lady who smiles at us, short and in her late 60s, who I’m informed by my learned friend, is the wife of the ex Chancellor of the Exchequer (the ex – exchequer?), Lord (Nigel) Lawson.