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How Covent Garden 'is forcing out the piazza musicians'
Anna Davis, Evening Standard13.03.08
Classical musicians who perform free in Covent Garden piazza are warning that they are under threat.
The opera singers, string quartets and instrumentalists who entertain shoppers fear they are being forced out of the market after the landlord cut the amount of time they can perform from two hours to one.
They claim Covent Garden London is pursuing major chains to move into the area and does not want their performances to distract customers.
Viola player Beatrice Anderson, 29, from Archway, said the new rules - due to start next month - would halve performers' income.
Miss Anderson, who performs regularly with a string quartet, said: "On paper they are not getting rid of us but in reality such a massive reduction of performance time makes it financially unsustainable for us musicians to continue playing there.
"We feel we are a part of the historical, cultural and social hub that is London's West End but [under] constant threat from corporate developers. We are the little people who make Covent Garden a big place on the world map."
The musicians, who include six string quartets and 15 singers, have launched a petition to save the "only dedicated classical music pitch in the world". More than 700 people signed it in its first 36 hours.
Miss Anderson said: "We have people every day telling us how they came to London just to go to Covent Garden to listen to the music."
At the moment, a weekly rota of musiciansis organised by Covent Garden London. Singers can give a maximum of eight shows a week and groups can perform 10 times.
Performers state how many shows they want to give each week and names are drawn out of a hat to decide who gets what slot. The performers are not paid but make money in donations from the watching crowds.
Miss Anderson said: "Visitors will notice the changes. At the moment, if you come at pretty much any time of day there will be something on. But with these changes there will be half-hour gaps and if someone can't make their show there could be two hours without music."
Beverly Churchill of Covent Garden London said the company wanted to stop performancesoverlapping and creating a "sound clash" or "repetitive use of material". She said: "We are looking to slightly reduce the number of hours that performers will be able to perform and also introduce breaks between performances during the day so that there is a respectful break from music.
"Street performance is a significant part of Covent Garden's rich heritage but it must be of high quality and programmed appropriately for everyone."
Reader views (6)
This term "slightly reduce the number of hours performers will be able to perform" is complete nonsense. How can cutting performances by nearly 50% be considered "slightly reduce"?
If 'cut by half' is the new definition of 'slightly reduce' then I am really looking forward to my next 'slightly reduced' tax bill.
- Evie Anderson, London, UK
The street musicians at Covent Garden are consistently the best my wife and I have listened to anywhere in the world and they add tremendously to a visit to that part of London. Beverly Churchill's justifications for cutting performance time are specious nonsense - it's what she doesn't say that worries me! The performances are of such a high standard that they give pure and unalloyed listening pleasure - any diminution of such pleasure would make the prospect of a visit to Covent Garden far less attractive. Differences in style and taste from one performance to the next only add to the pleasure and we have never noticed any sort of 'sound clash'. We always spend more time there than we intended to and always leave feeling tremendously uplifted and smiling, as if we had been given a wonderful gift. If it ain't broke, Ms Churchill, don't fix it!
- Kiwi Expat, London, UK
Why do people like Beverly Churchill and co. feel the need to spoil not only the musicians livelihoods but the majority of visitors to Covent Garden's enjoyment? Maybe she doesn't enjoy the fabulous entertainment but she's not spending her leisure time there [ her choice ] But don't spoil mine and many friend's and families' choices of being in one of the most entertaining spots in London.
- Laura, London
The musicians who work from this pitch are all of a phenomenally high standard. Many of them have been studying their craft from the age of around 5 years old and have grafted their way through specialist music schools and colleges to attain the talent they now gift to the public. I have never met anyone who has not felt lucky to witness their performances. The musicians are the ones who deserve a 'respectful break'.
I've got a good idea - let's all write to McDonald's and ask them to plaster advertising all over Banksy's work. That'll make the world a better place. Grr!
- Zara Gaze, United Kingdom
How on earth can Beverly Churchill say with a straight face that a 50% cut in time is a "slight reduction"! This is the worst kind of PR spin that just treats those of us who have to read their garbage as though we are idiots. Don't they realise that their credibility drops to sub zero as a result? I think that we may safely treat the rest of their protestations as also being garbage and conclude that once again business interests cannot see that a diverse and culturally rich environment is in their interests as well.
- Alastair Mitton, Ealing, UK
The musicians in Covent Garden are one of the more charming aspects of the place and have contributed greatly to its appeal. I have never noticed what Beverly Churchill calls 'sound clash', as one group finishes and makes way for another to start playing. As for her intention to 'stop repetitive use of material', I wonder how she is going to do that, unless she is planning to approve all the groups' programmes in advance. Naturally, the groups tend to play pieces which are well-known to the general public (since they rely for their income on contributions from the audience) and this would be the case whether they are allowed to play for one hour, two hours or any other amount of time. No, I'm afraid it's another case of the heavy hand of bureaucracy acting in a petty way.
- John, Richmond
