Concert violinist David Juritz has performed in many of the world's greatest halls as a soloist, guest artist and concertmaster of London's famed Mozart Players.
But he may have found his true calling while "scraping away" in near anonymity outside some of the same venues.
The violinist left his London home on June 9 and has since travelled the globe as a street performer, raising money to fund music education for some of the world's poorest children.
During a stop in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday, with only a few days left before his tour ends, Juritz said he had raised at least $US50,000 ($56,000) - after expenses - for the charity Musequality.
He hopes it will grow into a fund of $US500,000.
"It's difficult to turn publicity and goodwill into cash," said Juritz, who has worked from 6am until midnight almost daily over the past four-an-a-half months. But he insists it was worth it.
"People aren't really that interested in the easy things in life," he said, explaining why he had not just set out to raise the money via a sponsored series of concerts.
Juritz came up with the plan early this year as he decided to mark his looming 50th birthday by raising funds for charity by performing Bach's solo violin works.
This reminded the South African-born musician of playing in the streets when he was a student at London's Royal College of Music.
"I remembered saying to somebody, 'I bet you could busk your way around the world if you put your mind to it.' That's all it took, only about a minute's thought. If I'd given it four or five, I'd never have done it."
Best and worst days
Juritz set off by leaving for his local London Underground station with no money in his pocket. He wanted to begin as he intended to continue, playing in public and hoping enough money would be thrown into his violin case to cover his travel.
"The first hour still stands as the best hour I've had," he said.
He raised 2,000 pounds ($4,580) - more than enough to cover his initial travel to Europe and Africa, let alone his Tube fare.
The worst hour of the 96,560 kilometre journey came just a few days later in Berlin. He spent a windy, rainy three hours dodging security guards before ending the day "with blisters on the bottom of my feet and 11 euros ($17)."
Another memorable stop was at California's Stanford University where one hour's playing garnered $US500.
But some of Juritz's best moments were not associated with large amounts of money.
In Montevideo, Uruguay, Juritz feared street children might rob him. Instead they gave him what money they had.
In Singapore, Juritz played in an area inhabited largely by immigrant construction workers. An observer who looked anything but wealthy gave him 5 Singapore dollars ($3.80).
"'I want you to take this so that a child can have an education,'" Juritz recalled the man saying.
"It has been absolutely amazing," he added.
One of the first Musequality programs is in Kampala, Uganda. Juritz got to know the area and the people while performing on the soundtrack for the film The Last King of Scotland.
"If you actually take a group of kids and put them up on the stage and get them performing, they suddenly realise that there's another route in life than having to clamour for attention and having to fight," he said.
'Lucky'
Juritz came through his journey without being mugged or arrested, although he was almost taken into custody in Seoul.
His performance in the South Korean capital attracted a policeman who took notes and pictures then rang for backup.
"That's always a bad sign," Juritz said.
But in the end, they decided to let him go.
"I've been very lucky," he said. © 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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