MRT stations in tune with buskers thanks to new LTA trial

Part-time busker and tuition teacher Daniel Beng played tunes including Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and A-mei's Ting Hai (Listen To The Sea). -- ST PHOTO: YEO SAM JO
Part-time busker and tuition teacher Daniel Beng played tunes including Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and A-mei's Ting Hai (Listen To The Sea). -- ST PHOTO: YEO SAM JO
Part-time busker and tuition teacher Daniel Beng played tunes including Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and A-mei's Ting Hai (Listen To The Sea). -- ST PHOTO: YEO SAM JO
Part-time busker and tuition teacher Daniel Beng played tunes including Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and A-mei's Ting Hai (Listen To The Sea). -- ST PHOTO: YEO SAM JO
Part-time busker and tuition teacher Daniel Beng played tunes including Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and A-mei's Ting Hai (Listen To The Sea). -- ST PHOTO: YEO SAM JO
Part-time busker and tuition teacher Daniel Beng played tunes including Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and A-mei's Ting Hai (Listen To The Sea). -- ST PHOTO: YEO SAM JO

SINGAPORE - Commuters at Raffles Place MRT station were treated to a violin concert on Friday evening, as a three-month trial allowing buskers to perform at train stations began.

"It's a great idea - some people actually skip their trains and stop to listen," said part-time busker and tuition teacher Daniel Beng, 42, who played tunes including Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and A-mei's Ting Hai (Listen to the Sea).

The trial, a collaboration between the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the National Arts Council and SMRT, is part of a series of social experiments aiming to enhance commuters' experience.

For three months, buskers will be allowed to perform in designated areas at five stations: on weekdays at Raffles Place and City Hall from 5.30pm to 9.30pm, and at Eunos, Bukit Batok and Jurong East from 7.30am to 11.30am. On weekends and public holidays, they can perform between 10am and 9pm at all five stations.

If the response is positive, there may be more performances beyond the trial period, the LTA said.

"It's nice, relaxing and much better than listening to my own music," said 23-year-old account executive Hamsa Nanthinni, who was on her way home from work. "I'll be coming early to try and catch these performers."

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