25 Musicians Chosen from 54 Finalists and 130 Total Applications Across All Genres
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced today that it is adding 25 soloists and groups to the MTA MUSIC roster. These performers were chosen through the 35th annual auditions held on May 14 at Grand Central Madison.
The auditions were held by MTA Arts & Design, which is responsible for providing visual and performing arts throughout the MTA system. From the 130 acts that applied, 54 Finalists were chosen, and 47 acts took to the stage. During the auditions, musicians were given five minutes each to perform live for the public and a panel of judges consisting of musicians, music professionals, and transit representatives. The judges scored each performance based on the criteria of quality, variety, and appropriateness for the transit environment.
“The performers at this year’s auditions raised the bar for talent in the MTA MUSIC program,” said MTA Arts & Design Interim Director Juliette Michaelson. “I know this group of talented musicians will improve the transit experience for our millions of daily riders.”
The new acts selected through 2025 MTA MUSIC Auditions are:
Mina Azad, Opera singer
Anthony Bell, Handpan
Bella Breen, Folk & pop singer songwriter
Sammy Buttons, Groovy keyboard
Chrissy, Neo soul, jazz & old school
Cupid’s Nemesis, Acoustic rock & roll harmonies
Lennie Disanto, Latin singer
The Echos of Hougaku, Shakuhachi & koto
Chanese Elifé, One woman band
Even Out, Experimental jazz fusion
Edward W. Hardy, Classical to pop violin
Peter Kavanaugh, American songbook guitar
KEELIN, Female vocalist
Felipe Lima, Latin & classical rock
Marcio Horsth Band, Pop rock band
Marquis Sayles, Straight ahead jazz sax
Denise Meltzer, Classical & pop trumpet
Angel Moposita, Indigenous music
Ahmad Pollard, Originals & Top 40s
Columbes Ran, Singer
Misha Seo, R&B & pop singer
The Swingset, American standards jazz duo
Trojan Horn Brass Band, Brass band
Angel Williams, Uplifting, singer songwriter
Rick Younger, R&B singer
Once accepted into the program, MTA MUSIC talent is eligible to perform at approximately 40 designated locations throughout the MTA network. Participating musicians perform under a pink Music Under New York banner that features the performer’s name and the Music Under New York logo. MTA Arts & Design presents thousands of MTA MUSIC performances in the transit system every year.
About Music Under New York (MTA MUSIC)
MTA MUSIC has more than 350 performers showcasing classical strings, jazz ensembles, world music bands, folk, a cappella groups, singer-songwriters and more, featuring a wide range of instruments such as the Gambian kora, Korean drum, West Indian steel drums, Andean pipes, Cajun cello, Celtic and Baroque harps, guitars, violins, hammered dulcimers and musical saws. Performers are programmed at across 40 MTA MUSIC locations throughout the transit system, including subway stations and MTA commuter rail terminals and the Staten Island Ferry terminal. MTA Arts & Design presents more than 10,000 musical performances in the transit system every year. The musicians perform in designated locations with a Music Under New York banner that features their name and the Music Under New York logo.
About MTA Arts & Design
MTA Arts & Design encourages the use of public transportation by providing visual and performing arts in the New York metropolitan area. The Percent for Art program is one of the largest and most diverse collections of site-specific public art in the world, with more than 400 commissions by world-famous, mid-career and emerging artists. Arts & Design produces Posters, Digital Art, photographic Lightbox exhibitions, as well as live musical performances in stations through its Music Under New York (MTA MUSIC) program, and the Poetry in Motion program in collaboration with the Poetry Society of America. It serves the millions of people who rely upon MTA subways and commuter trains and strives to create meaningful connections between sites, neighborhoods, and people. To learn more, visit mta.info/art.