Cellist performs for ferry passengers, but did they stop?
Symphony Nova Scotia principal cellist Norm Adams set up at Halifax ferry terminal
CBC wanted to see how commuters would react to a bit of beauty added to their morning trip to work. During rush hour on Tuesday, Norm Adams did his best to deliver.
The principal cellist for Symphony Nova Scotia set up by the arrival gate of the Halifax ferry terminal and played Bach's solo suites for 707 commuters headed back and forth across the harbour.
Only 10 people stopped to listen for more than a minute. People tossed him $21.75, including one who gave a $5 bill.
Most people passed him by, but Sheri-Lynn Butt said she loved it.
"It is absolutely breathtaking," she said. "Especially in the morning when you're kind of a 'Gloomy Gus' and you just want to get to where you want to go."
Adams said the performance became more rewarding as the morning went on, even as few stopped to listen.
"I could actually feel myself getting increasingly nervous as the morning went on ... because it meant more to me," Adams said afterwards.
The surprise concert is based on a famous Washington Post experiment, where violin virtuoso Joshua Bell played his Stradivarius in a D.C. subway hub in 2007. On that day, 1,097 people passed him by, with only seven stopping for more than a moment.
While more people in Halifax stopped to listen, Joshua Bell managed a better haul — earning $32.17 while busking.
Children, however, always wanted to stop and listen, which is the inspiration behind Kathy Stinson's children's book, The Man with the Violin, published by Annick Press.
CBC Radio's Mainstreet is reading the book as part of the TD Kids Book Club.