PITCH up and pitch in. Buskers across Cape Town have answered this call to be part of a record-breaking World Busk this evening – along with buskers across the globe.
Musicians of all kinds are set to take their art to the street tonight in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the biggest busk.
There must be 25 buskers in each group in more than 10 venues worldwide, and they have to play at exactly same time. At 6pm in England, where the organising body Musequality is based, the great global busk will begin.
That’s 7pm in Cape Town, and the V&A Waterfront will be the hottest spot to witness the cool tunes as two groups of students from the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre in Parow join local talent to show off their skills.
The Waterfront is one of three official venues in South Africa, and 19 worldwide. The Hugo Lambrechts students will provide warm-up entertainment for half an hour before the record attempt begins – but the crucial time slot, 7pm-7.05pm, is reserved for the national anthem and traditional tune Thula Baba.
Music teacher Kathleen du Plessis said all her students were excited about going busking, but the record attempt was the selling point.
She has 40 students performing in a string group and a wind group. The youngest is just 7 and most are under 18.
“It’s very new for a lot of the students – the idea of going busking for people in a public area for donations is very exciting,” she said. “The idea is to generate funds for developing countries’ music education.”
Musequality makes sure the money generated by buskers across the globe goes to music projects in Uganda, Kenya, India and Thailand and helps to launch new projects in South Africa.
This is the sixth world busk – and the most ambitious attempt yet.
Catch Cape Town’s contribution at Entrance 2, Level 2 of the Waterfront at 7pm.