David Juritz returns from busking round the world with Bach (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

David Juritz returns from busking round the world with Bach

11:40am Tuesday 23rd October 2007 in News & Previews By Nancy Groves

Four months, two weeks and one day ago, David Juritz of the London Mozart Players left town with nothing but his violin and a backpack to busk around the world playing Bach.

His aim? To raise money and awareness for Musequality, a new charity funding music projects in deprived areas across the world.

Juritz returns home today with a whopping £18,638 janging around his violin case and a homecoming gig at Kingston Parish Church this weekend.

From his final pit-stop in New York, he told us about his epic journey - and what to pack for a round-the-world busk.

How are you feeling right now?

"Very excited about getting home. I've spent the whole trip just focused on one day at a time so it's great to be able to look ahead for once and hard to believe that we're nearly there. It was a fantastic after doing my laundry to count my socks - five clean pairs and only three days to go!"

Has the trip been different than you expected?

"Absolutely. The places I'd thought would be the best busking venues, like concert halls, often turned out to be the worst. The biggest surprise has been the amount of organization we've had to do and the pace everything has gone at. It's been relentless with three of us David, his wife Jane and manager Jo working flat out pretty well round the clock."

What was your most memorable busk?

"I think it has to be the wonderful send-off from Turnham Green. Yoyogi Park in Tokyo surrounded by rock bands was quite wild but not futile. Berlin - just 11 in a whole day - is seared into my memory."

Who has been the most inspirational person you've met?

"Kampala's M-LISADA band, a group of former street kids are the embodiment of everything I'd like Musequality to achieve. They now care for 64 children who have lost their families at the same time as making their own personal journey from 13-year-old drug-abusing pick-pockets to a teacher, three music students and a newly qualified lawyer.

It was a huge privilege to have a meeting with Maestro Abreu, the founder of El Sistema, in Caracas, a wonderfully inspirational and eloquent man."

What was your lowest moment on the trip?

"The first two weeks - I had to make a big adjustment from the concert platform to the pavement and there was an awful lot of dragging the backpack around city after city for not much reward. But I've found that no matter how tough things are, once I've spent a few minutes playing, I feel absolutely fine again. It's like having a little sanctuary you can go back to, restore yourself and then be ready to take on the world again."

What have you missed most about home?

"Jane and the kids. Other than that I've been very content. I don't think the cats have missed me."

Have you achieved what you hoped to achieve?

"Not nearly but give me time! We've developed a worldwide network of like-minded individuals and organizations making some extremely valuable connections along the road. As regards our financial target, I've discovered that turning publicity into money is far from easy. Getting so much interest and support has been great but it isn't going to pay for projects. For that we need donations."

Are you (even a little bit) sick of Bach? And would you do it all again?

"I'm even more fascinated by Bach than when I left. As for a repeat, I'm going to have to devote a shorter period to similar trips in the future in order to work on fund-raising projects so I will be out there again for sure."

David Juritz with the London Mozart Players, Kingston Parish Church, Saturday, October 27, 8pm, £5-£18 from Hands Music Centre, kingston.gov.uk/eticketing or ticketweb.co.uk.

What to Pack for a Round-the-World Busk: Fewer clothes than you think you need; a pair of black RM Williams boots that will do concerts and general walking around; a note-book (paper, not computer); a universal adaptor; water and nuts; and a violin and spare strings, of course!