Alum Andrew Kalleen: The Underground Sound of Your Daily Commute

MIC -- Andrew Kalleen moved to New York after college to start playing music full-time. He’s been playing piano since he was 4 years old, and he studied musical composition at San Francisco State University. He busks full-time now and is able to support himself, as many buskers are. Kalleen performs almost every day for about one to six hours. He plays keyboard some days in the West Fourth Street or Broadway-Lafayette stations, and other days he plays guitar in various subway stations. One of his favorite spots is still the Metropolitan Avenue G stop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. “I think a lot of people are more nervous to busk than to do an open mic or play a show,” Kalleen said. “When you’re doing an open mic or playing a show, everyone has given you permission to be up there and performing.. .. Whereas in the subway you are just showing up and giving something, and you are open to the criticism of everyone.”