Musicians To Audition For NYC Subway Stardom

NEW YORK, NY — Grand Central Terminal will get a little more musical Tuesday morning as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority seeks the New York City subway system's next stars. Some 82 acts were invited to audition as finalists for the MTA's "Music Under New York" program, which offers featured space to subway buskers.

MTA Arts & Design received more than 300 applications for the program in its 31st year. Judges will pick about 20 artists from the pool of finalists to join the roster of more than 350 Music Under New York acts who perform at about 30 busy locations in the transit system.

"Music Under New York celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, and the application process is more competitive than ever," MTA Arts & Design Director Sandra Bloodworth said in a news release last week. "We’re excited to see how this year’s finalists will pour their hearts into performing for the judges and the public to secure a coveted spot in Music Under New York."

Each act will give a five-minute audition for a panel of judges that will pick winners based on factors including "quality, appropriateness for the transit environment, musical variety and cultural diversity," the MTA said.

This year's finalists represent several genres and hail from the city, Long Island, Westchester County, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the agency said.

The MTA says it offers more than 7,500 musical performances in the subway each year. All Music Under New York performers have to follow subway rules.

The auditions are open to the public and start at 9 a.m. at Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall, located north of the clock in the main concourse.

(Lead image: Musician Calebe Arruda performs in the Union Square subway station in 2009. Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)