Word Smith: Busking
Our daughter, Kathleen, has taken to performing music on the street to hone her performance skills and earn some spare change in return. “It is what we street urchins call ‘busking.’”
According to Wikipedia, Busking is the gerund or present participle of the verb: to busk. It means to play music, sing, dance or otherwise perform for voluntary donations in the street or in subways.
Example: “The group began by busking on Market Street for tips from pedestrians on the Philadelphia sidewalks.”
Busking is the informal gesture of musical improvisation and performance on the street for spare change and other signs of appreciation. It is a way that street performers can practice their craft, find live audiences, and make a little change on the side. Tips are encouraged and not claimed on tax returns, I imagine.
Henry E. Hooper 