Street musicians in German cities must follow the rules of the game
Country singers, beatboxers, swing guitarists – every summer thousands of street musicians from around the world come to Europe, and particularly to Germany, to earn money. As Deutsche Welle notes, it only seems at first glance that anyone can play on the street anywhere. In reality, each German city has its own special rules that regulate musicians' work.
Performing in Munich, one of Germany's largest tourist centers, is a special honor for wandering artists. Those wishing to play on the city's main square, Marienplatz, must go through a casting, the winners of which get a spot in the pedestrian zone. Munich is the only city in the country where, since 2007, street musicians and artists are required to undergo a special selection before performing. Daily, 10 licenses are issued – five performers can play before lunch, the other five after. The cost of one document is 10 euros.
Cologne is proposing to adopt the experience of the Bavarian capital. In this city, a special initiative called Straßenmusik, aber richtig (can be translated as «Street music done right») has even been created, which fights for the quality of music performed on the street. Community activists also want to introduce a system of castings.
For now, musicians here do not need a license to perform. Playing is allowed for 30 minutes in one spot. Moreover, the distance between street concert venues must be at least 200 meters. And the fine for using amplifiers is 35 euros.
However, not everyone bothers to familiarize themselves with the regulations. «Probably the rules can be found on the internet, but we've never read them. We usually perform on the Rhine promenade because in the city center people are too busy shopping,» says Daniel, a member of a swing duo from Cologne.
Musicians in Stuttgart are allowed to play for no more than half an hour and only on certain streets, and they cannot perform all day in the same spot. Bagpipes, trumpets, and percussion instruments are banned here, and silence must be observed during the lunch break. For the same purposes, playing in groups of more than three people is prohibited in Stuttgart.
In Frankfurt, performances by five people and loud wind instruments are allowed, but they can be played no more than twice for 15 minutes with a break of at least a quarter of an hour. A scandalous story is associated with this city involving the famous street musician Arne Schmitt from Hagen, who was banned a year ago from playing on a major shopping street in the center. The problem was that his piano was equipped with an amplifier. However, the musician himself claims that despite this, the instrument sounds quieter than a trumpet.
For 18 years, the pianist has been traveling the world with his piano weighing 385 kilograms, has played in 300 cities, and has not encountered such problems. Arne Schmitt is a crowd favorite. The musician never plays from sheet music – each of his performances is unique. He has recorded three albums that sell successfully in Europe, and has gathered about 10,000 likes on his Facebook page. The fine and refusal to issue him a special permit to play caused wide media resonance and gave impetus to a new discussion about revising the regulations for street musicians.
Some relaxation was made in Dresden – since June, a special permit to play is no longer required. Restrictions were introduced in 2013 when local authorities received more than 120 complaints from residents about street musicians. Then, in many cities in Saxony, loud musical instruments and amplifiers were banned, and playing on holidays and Sundays was also illegal. Musicians had to buy a permit costing five euros daily. The repeal of these rules was discussed at a round table with citizens, shop owners, and street musicians.
«Anyone can play on the street, no one will require a conservatory diploma. Until the police come,» laughs music teacher and guitarist Martin from Cologne. In reality, musicians with specialized education can earn more, on average about 20 euros a day. Some sell their own studio CDs and try to make a career.
Incidentally, British rocker Rod Stewart, French multi-instrumentalist Yann Tiersen, beatboxer Dub FX from Melbourne, and many other stars of the modern pop scene started their careers playing on the street. However, one should not count on quick success – only a few make it to the big stage and top the charts.