Finding music the Florentine way

by Rose Patricia, Freshman BA

With the Covid restrictions related to music and entertainment here in Italy, street musicians have come on the rise.

At the beginning of this year, a color system was introduced in Italy whereby regions are assigned to different zones depending on how spread the virus is, and the different zones have different levels of restrictions. While all or most regions have been in the the least restrictive zone for a few months now, music theaters and other music venues have been the ones to be kept closed the longest, and only reopened a few weeks ago. The lack of opportunities to sit down and enjoy some live music has made citizens of Florence think outside of the box to explore new forms of entertainment, and live concerts have sprung up all over the city.

The surprise of walking upon a street concert leaves people unable to create expectations, making the whole experience surprising and exciting. Each concert performs in its unique style which gives crowds a sense of discovery. Covid left citizens with lingering silence that left nothing but having people sit with their emotions. Music allows an escape from the real world and people can gain an emotional connection through the people of Florence. Many of us are strangers and guests of this city, yet the idea of music bringing all of us together is one of the most beautiful things about Florence. It highlights the known fact that Florence is rich with unique art forms.

My first month in Florence has become an opportunity of a lifetime and my favorite thing to do in my free time is to hunt for outdoor concerts. I have become addicted to finding new performances all over Florence and the opportunity to meet new people of similar tastes. I started my venture when I came across a musician playing in Piazza Della Repubblica near the carousel. A very hard to miss sight when wandering the streets of Florence.

A few other spots I highly recommend checking out for street musicians would include Piazza Della Repubblica, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Piazzale Michelangelo, and that’s just to name a few popular spots. If you wander around enough you can find that music exists almost on every street. Whether that be out of a window from a home to a restaurant you may walk past every day. The locations are endless and I can guarantee that there isn’t a single spot in Florence that is left music-less.

Music plays a huge role in our everyday lives and provides a new kind of influence over people. Hearing a certain piece played can trigger many emotions and memories, it’s a powerful medicine that reflects off different emotions. From my experience, I can say that music has given me an escape from the sometimes harsh realities of these Covid times and has allowed me to feel more at home than ever before.