Classical tunes, beyond the theater

Harmonica, a South Korean classical music band, has been winning hearts in Shanghai with their moving performances.

But one would not be able to find their album at record stores. This group of musicians can't be found in conventional theaters either they ply their trade in public, along the streets of Shanghai, as buskers.

"I still remember that a beggar cried during our band's first performance, and the little girl who sells flowers along the Bund gave us a flower as a gift," said Han Jong-su, the violinist of the band. "Within 20 minutes, we received about 400 yuan ($58.7) from the audience. Everyone was applauding us."

A graduate of the Seoul Institute of the Arts, Han came to China in 2012 to explore the opportunities in the music industry. He ended up spending a few years at local universities studying Chinese before landing a full-time job at an institution where he conducts violin classes.

His first experience as a street performer was at Pudong Riverside Avenue in 2013 where he managed to draw a large crowd. The reception to his music spurred him to continue performing on the streets, and he eventually met fellow Korean musicians, which led to the formation of Harmonica.

But Harmonica's captivating performances drew another group of individuals urban management officers.

According to Han, five officers surrounded the band during a subsequent performance and informed them that performing along the Bund was prohibited. Members of the public, recalled Han, even jumped to their rescue, arguing with the authorities that the band members were not beggars.

"I still remember the officer's answer he said that he wanted to listen to us, but we have to come back after midnight when he was off duty, else he would get into trouble with his supervisor for not enforcing the law," laughed Han.

The officer recommended a place that the band could perform. But Han later discovered that the location on South Tibet Road was already filled with buskers, and the noisy environment that was near the main road was not ideal for their instrumental performances.

However, a Chinese band he met there advised him to apply for a street performance license which would make life much easier.

"At first we did not believe them because we always thought it was unrealistic for a foreign group to play on Chinese streets legally, but we later learned that there are German and US artists who managed to get licenses. That's when we decided to apply," said Han.

In April, five of the regular members of the band, including Han, received their licenses which allow them to perform at designated areas such as Jiang'an Park and Wujiang Road. The band, which currently comprises men and women aged between 25 and 40, can earn up to 1,000 yuan per day.

"Most of our team members graduated from art-related colleges in South Korea and have a job in Shanghai now. All of us have the same goal, and that is to play our music for people who really want to listen to us," Han said.

Having a license has also helped eradicate the chance of running into trouble with the rules. According to Han, having a license has resulted in a change in dynamics the urban management staff now protect them instead of expel them from the premises.

"We feel safe and respected here," he said. "More importantly, we are now playing to people who really like our music and the only reason for them to stop is because they enjoy it."