On a Saturday afternoon, about 10 young violinists from ages 8 to 13 performed at Grand Central Station to celebrate German composer Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday.

Unlike performing in a concert hall where musicians can easily capture the attention of the audience, playing music in a busy subway station proved to be a challenge. Many people passed by without even looking at the violinists. “Sometimes it’s a little discouraging when people walked past you,” said Lila, a 13-year-old violinist who played in the event. “But you want to keep on playing no matter what.”