Revamping the Subway's Program for Musicians

Summary

Podcast Summary: Revamping the Subway's Program for Musicians

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode Date: March 26, 2026

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Overview of Episode’s Main Theme

This episode examines the transformation of the MTA’s renowned subway music program, formerly known as "Music Under New York," now rebranded as “MTA Music.” Host Alison Stewart interviews Tina Vaz, head of the MTA’s Arts & Design Program, and featured subway trumpet player Ego Sabefia. Together, they discuss the purpose and impact of live music in the subway system, the reinvigoration of MTA Music, and the musicians’ experiences and philosophies. Interspersed throughout, Ego performs several live pieces, embodying the spirit of the program.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Value of Music in the Transit System

• Music as a Cultural Backbone:
  • Tina Vaz (02:13): “The transit system is not just a way to get from point A to point B. It's really the backdrop against which life plays out in its rich tapestry, especially in a place like New York... we want to be part of elevating that journey.”
• Emotional Resonance for Commuters:
  • Live music offers unexpected joy, reflection, and “drop shoulder moments” that are increasingly rare (02:38).

Revamping the Program: From “Music Under New York” to “MTA Music”

• Rebranding and Expansion:
  • The program is now “MTA Music,” celebrating its 40th year and introducing new initiatives (03:02).
• Monthly Station Series:
  • Organized performances timed with cultural celebrations at major stations across all five boroughs.
    • Example: Women’s History Month event (03:33).
    • Upcoming: Classical Music Appreciation in September, Jazz Appreciation in April (03:44).
  • “We have ensembles scheduled for the five stations across the boroughs and that will be happening on April 23rd.” — Tina Vaz (03:53).
• Engagement with Performers:
  • Aims to deeply engage the current roster of more than 150 musicians who put on around 8,500 performances annually (04:07).

The Impact on Musicians

• Professional and Personal Growth:
  • Performing is both a career-building exercise and a central part of their artistic identity.
  • “It's about connecting with people. It's about being part of the energy that moves New York.” — Tina Vaz (04:47).
• Pathways to Participation:
  • Musicians still audition for the program and attend orientation to understand subway-specific performance contexts (04:07).

Ego Sabefia: A Subway Musician’s Journey

• Getting Started:
  • Ego’s friend urged him to try performing in the subway. His first days showed how lucrative and impactful it could be (05:47).
    • Notable Quote: “The first day I played, I made $8, 45 minutes. … I went back and played. I made $45 in 35 minutes. And I said, well, that's the benchmark. And that was June 5, 2013...” (05:47).
• Choosing What to Play:
  • “A musician is a serviceman or servicewoman to society... the music has to be a shuffle, a gumbo.” (13:13).
  • Observing commuters’ reactions shapes his setlist—a blend fitting New York’s diversity (13:13).
• The Subway as a Stage:
  • Grand Central is a favorite: cathedral-like acoustics, safety, foot traffic, and a mix of city executives and everyday commuters (13:47).
  • “There’s a saying, you hang around a barbershop long enough, you get a free haircut.” (13:47)
• Philosophy on Appearance:
  • Dressing in a tuxedo signals professionalism and changes audience perception:
    • “It’s a live audition every day... When people come up to me, they come with you with respect.” (14:41).
• Human Connections:
  • Ego cherishes the bonds he forms with regular commuters, referencing moments where their support surprised and moved him—especially at his master’s recital, when subway regulars filled out the audience (18:13).
    • Notable Quote: “When I walked out on the stage at Manhattan School of Music for my master's recital, it was standing room only ... it really opened my eyes to understanding how I was connecting with people in such a short instance of time.” (18:13)
• Personal Growth / Lessons Learned:
  • Subways teach humility and the need to “show up with a good attitude and a strong work ethic… That’s the bedrock of authenticity.” (10:12-10:27)

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Live Music Performances

• Friend Like Me (from Aladdin) — [06:29]
• You’ve Got a Friend in Me (from Toy Story) — [10:30]
• Bumble Boogie — [15:21]
  • Comment: “Bumble Boogie is the jam that I play during rush hour because people look like bees in a colony.” — Ego Sabefia (15:21)
• Someone to Watch Over Me — [19:43]
  • Chosen for its spiritual resonance with Ego’s own beliefs: “I believe that God is watching over us … that's my connection to it.” (19:43)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Subway’s Role:
  • Tina Vaz: “The transit system … is the backdrop against which life plays out in its rich tapestry.” (02:13)
• On Stage Fright Turned Respect:
  • “I almost looked down on them, you know, unfortunately, that was my ignorant way of looking at things until I was in that same footstep.” — Ego Sabefia (09:43)
• Performance as Service:
  • “A musician is a serviceman or servicewoman to society...” — Ego Sabefia (13:13)
• Community Connections:
  • “During the holiday season, people have brought me cards... I'd see here at six in the morning and I'd say, well, if he's able to come to work without no expectation, I should be able to come to work as well.” — Ego Sabefia (19:03)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:25 — Sponsor messages (skipped)
• 01:25 — Introduction to the subway music program
• 02:01 — Interview with Tina Vaz begins
• 03:02 — Explanation of program changes, introduction of new initiatives
• 05:30 — Transition to musician Ego Sabefia’s story
• 06:29 — “Friend Like Me” trumpet performance
• 08:53 — Ego’s musical background and New York transition
• 10:30 — “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” performance
• 13:13 — Song selection insights and audience engagement
• 15:21 — “Bumble Boogie” performance
• 17:43 — Ego’s favorite subway musicians and commuters’ connections
• 19:43 — “Someone to Watch Over Me” performance

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Conclusion

This episode offers an evocative portrait of the subway as a space for cultural exchange, daily ritual, and human connection. Through interviews and live music, listeners glimpse the renewed vibrancy of the MTA Music program and the transformative effect of live performance on both musicians and commuters. Ego Sabefia’s candid reflections punctuate the episode, underscoring the subway’s pulse as the city’s unofficial concert hall.

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Transcript

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[Ego Sabefia]

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. The MTA operates more than trains and buses. For many years, it has also operated the MTA's music under new York program, which brings thousands of live performers to the transit system each year. This year, the program is undergoing some changes, so we wanted to talk about it and also bring some of the music out of the subway and into the WNYC studios. In just a few minutes, we'll speak with one one of the MTA's featured performers, Trumpet player Eganam Sabethia. He'll also play some music for us. Hi, Ego.

[Ego Sabefia]

Hi. Thank you for having me.

[Alison Stewart]

But first, we'll hear from tina Vaz, the MTA's art and design program, the head of the MTA's art and design program. Hi, Tina. Hi. Why is it important for there to be music in the transit system?

[Tina Vaz]

The transit system is not just a way to get from point A to point B. It's really the backdrop against which life plays out in its rich tapestry, especially in a place like New York. And so, as we do with all of our programming in arts and design, which includes visual art, graphic art, poetry and music, we want to be part of elevating that journey.

[Alison Stewart]

What does it do for commuters?

[Tina Vaz]

It does a lot of things. It really depends on what that person may be experiencing that day. For some people, it's a drop shoulder moment for some people. Maybe it gives them a spring in their steps. I think we really want to aim to create those interior moments for people that are so hard to find these days.

[Alison Stewart]

How is the MTA's music programming changing this year?

[Tina Vaz]

Well, for starters, we have rebranded as MTA Music, which replaces the music under New York name. We are celebrating our 40th year as a program collectively and music has been a part of the program since its very beginning. One of the things we are doing that's new this year is we've just introduced a new monthly station series which is focused on organized performances in celebration of cultural moments at stations, five stations across the five boroughs. And in fact, Alison, as we speak we are doing our Women's History Month celebration which is ongoing from 12 to 6pm today.

[Alison Stewart]

I understand that you're going to be doing different months based on different celebrations. It's going to be September is Classical Music Appreciation Month, April is Jazz Appreciation Month.

[Tina Vaz]

What will happen then? Well, we have ensembles scheduled for the five stations across the boroughs and that will be happening on April 23rd.

[Alison Stewart]

How will you choose your performers, Tina?

[Tina Vaz]

Well, historically we've had live auditions. Performers audition to enter the program and then when they join the program they go through an orientation so they understand the specifics about performing in the system. This year we are looking at ways to really more deeply engage the more than 150 performers we have on our roster who are already responsible for about 8,500 performances a year. So we really want to engage them and the Station series is just one of the ways that we are working to do that.

[Alison Stewart]

What does the program do for the musicians?

[Tina Vaz]

For the musicians? You know, I think these are musicians who have active careers outside of the time they spend in the subway. For some, a way of getting additional practice. For others, it's almost, you know, we have performers who have been with us for 20 years. It's just really a part of their practice. It's about connecting with people. It's about being part of the energy that moves New York.

[Alison Stewart]

If someone wants a schedule to find out where they can see musicians, where should they go?

[Tina Vaz]

They should follow us on Instagram taartsdesign or go to our website mta.infomusic and sign up for our newsletter.

[Alison Stewart]

That's Tina, the director of the MTA Arts and Designs. We've been talking about musicians in the subway. Let's talk to one. This is Ego Sbefia. He's a trumpet player who's been performing in the Subway for years. How did you get hooked up with MTA music?

[Ego Sabefia]

First and foremost? Thank you so much for having me. Of course, I got hooked up with MTA music because I was at school in South Carolina State University at the time, and New York's music scene was very small, and a friend of mine said, why don't you go on the subway and play? You never know who you'll meet. And I was adverse to it at first. And I went out and I played. And the first day I played, I made $8, 45 minutes. And I said, well, it's kind of like minimum wage when I'm, you know, at the work I was doing at the time. He said, go back and play again. So that same day, I went back and played. I made $45 in 35 minutes. And I said, well, that's the benchmark. And that was June 5, 2013, and I'm 13 years in it. And I've been blessed to say that I've made a little bit more than $45.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, I'm glad to hear it. Could we hear a little music from you?

[Ego Sabefia]

Absolutely.

[Alison Stewart]

What are we gonna hear?

[Ego Sabefia]

We're gonna hear Friend Like Me from Aladdin.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, this is Ego Sabefia playing Trump. That was trumpet player Ego Sbefia performing Friend Like Me. So, Ego, how did you start get started playing the trumpet?

[Ego Sabefia]

I started playing the trumpet in the fifth grade, about seven months after I moved to New York City from Lagos, Nigeria. My mom won the visa lottery, and so we migrated here.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you like about the trumpet?

[Ego Sabefia]

I love that the trumpet, the bell, and your eyes and your face have to face the same way in order to play. So whenever the sound comes out and you look at someone, your head is still in them. It's the one instrument that it's face forward. So you have to mean what you say, and you have to say what you mean. And that responsibility is something, you know, because a lot of the times, you know, we may say things. So that's one of the things I love about the trumpet.

[Alison Stewart]

After you moved to New York, you lived in the Bronx, right?

[Ego Sabefia]

Yes, please.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. So what experience did you have with subway musicians before you became a subway musician?

[Ego Sabefia]

So the experience I'd had with them was like, I almost looked down on them, you know, unfortunately, that was my ignorant way of looking at things until I was in that same footstep. And then I was like, wait. Oh, you gotta have. You really gotta be able to put yourself out there and be bold and take whatever comes with that. And now I have the utmost respect for musicians. Every musician I meet, I tell them, you gotta play in the subway and earn that.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you learn by playing in the subway?

[Ego Sabefia]

You learn everything, But I base it down to two things. Every day you gotta show up with a good attitude and a strong work ethic. That's the authenticity. That's the bedrock of authenticity. One cannot be without the other. And everything else will fall into place when it's supposed to fall into place.

[Alison Stewart]

Are you up for another song?

[Ego Sabefia]

Absolutely.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay. What are we gonna hear next?

[Ego Sabefia]

We're gonna hear you Got a Friend in Me from Toy Story. That's my jam.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. Let's do it.

[Ego Sabefia]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

We are bringing subway musicians out of the Station and into WNYC Studio 5. I'm speaking with trumpet player Ego Sibefia. You can catch him a few times a week playing at Grand Central Terminal as well as some other venues. But he joins me in studio now. What makes a good song to play in the subway?

[Ego Sabefia]

How people react to it. A musician is a serviceman or service woman to society. You gotta play especially in the subway. In New York City, people are from everywhere. And so the music has to be a shuffle. It has to be a gumbo of that. You know, it's gotta be in that. I studied classical music, and I found very quickly New Yorkers will tell you what they wanna hear and how they wanna hear it. So that's how I choose. What songs in the subway.

[Alison Stewart]

You primarily perform in Grand Central Terminal. What do you like about playing there?

[Ego Sabefia]

First and foremost, it sounds like I'm in a cathedral when I play classical music. And there are times, especially when it's not as busy, where the sound can reverberate through. Another thing is there are four police agencies there. So safety is very important, you know, because people are putting tips in there. And so you can become a target really quickly. The third thing also is the foot traffic, the people. New York City is the executive capital of the world. And so most of the executives come from Westchester or come from Long Island. Now that Long island is connected to Grand Central. You know, there's a saying, you hang around a barbershop long enough, you get a free haircut. So there's a birthday celebrated every day of this year. And so if you're there and you're playing songs like friend like me, oh, I got my son. He's turning two years this year. Are you available? Yes, I am.

[Alison Stewart]

I have to say that you look quite fashionable.

[Ego Sabefia]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

That's very important. Why is it important how you look?

[Ego Sabefia]

They say never judge a book by its cover. But appearances, everything. Also, it's a live audition every day, every time I'm out there. So if someone sees me in a tuxedo, the first thing they see is he's serious about what he used to. He's playing. And then also when I tried it as an experiment, it changed, literally, the way people spoke to me. When people come up to me, they come with you with respect. Also, you never see a police officer who's on duty without his uniform on. Same thing with the nurse, same thing with the firefighter. And in classical music, whenever you go see musicians on stage, they're always in a tuxedo. So if I'm gonna bring that experience, I have to honor that, and I have to make sure that I uphold that responsibility.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's hear another song. What are we gonna hear?

[Ego Sabefia]

We're gonna hear Bumble Boogie. And Bumble Boogie is the jam that I play usually during rush hour because people look like bees in a colony. And so sometimes the bumble. The bee has all four wings running. Sometimes people are limping. So he's going, let's do it.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's do it. This is Ego Sibefia with Bumble Boogie. We are bringing subway musicians out of the Station and into WNYC Studio 5. I've been speaking with trumpet player Ego Sabefia. Do you have your favorite subway musicians you like to hear?

[Ego Sabefia]

Oh, he put me on the spot.

[Alison Stewart]

Next question.

[Ego Sabefia]

I got a few. I got a few. But the first one is Gabriel Aldor, also known as Galdor Gumbo. And he was the first musician who came and spent time and listened to me. And he said, wow, I love your music. But also gave me some pointers. I love when people can be honest and be graceful and be honest and give you honest critique. And so I love that. I love his spirit. And I can see when he's playing, he touches people.

[Alison Stewart]

Do you have connections with commuters?

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Do you have regulars?

[Ego Sabefia]

Oh, my goodness, I've lost count. You know. I'll tell you a brief story. So I've been playing at the shuttle train station before the construction, and I was at Manhattan School of Music. I was taking 18 credits. So I'd play from 6am to 9am in the mornings, Monday through Friday. Then I'd go to school, and it was time for my master's recital. And I put a sign out there. It was three by four, just like I would do with my MTA music sign. And when I walked out on the stage at Manhattan School of Music for my master's recital. It was standing room only and it was to the point where people had to leave during intermission and more people came in. And it was something that really opened my eyes to understanding how I was connecting with people in such a short instance of time. Because people are running back and forth going, but they see like, oh, wow, I gotta support him.

[Tina Vaz]

Him.

[Ego Sabefia]

And they come and they show up. And as a musician, you're standing in one spot and you're seeing people going, and it's very easy for you to see and say, oh, well, maybe no one's listening. Maybe no one's, you know, because their days, every day is different. You're not going to make the same amount of money every single day and you don't know what tomorrow brings. But that was the one reason. So regulars, there's so many. And then during the holiday season, people have brought me cards, people who I don't even think I know, they put a card in and then I open it and it says, oh, wow, I love seeing you here every day. And. And you know, there were times where I didn't want to go to work, but I'd see here at six in the morning and I'd say, well, if he's able to come to work without no expectation, I should be able to come to work as well.

[Alison Stewart]

Will you play us out? What's our last song?

[Ego Sabefia]

We're going to hear Someone to Watch Over Me, that song because I believe that God is watching over us and that's. I'm a very religious person. I'm a Christian and it's not a Christian song, but Someone to Watch over Me, that's my connection to it.

[Alison Stewart]

This is Ego Sabefia playing Someone to Watch Over Me. Sa.

[Odoo Sponsor]

WNYC Studios is supported by Odoo. When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out [e-mail]. that's O D O O dot com.

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