A bow hovers above a Tertis viola in quiet preparation, the instrument’s wielder awaiting the right moment to flip the yellowing sheet music and announce the start of a tribute.

“Well folks, you may not know it, but you’re in the subways!” Michael Domjan, violist and professor of psychology, said in the Perry-Castañeda Library lobby.

Musicians worldwide celebrated J.S. Bach’s birthday for a week in March through free performances in public places, with the purpose of enriching the lives of those who pass by. Domjan’s tribute on Tuesday afternoon marked 10 years of his participation in “Bach in the Subways,” motivated by a passion for playing and contributing to the lives of people watching.

“Who happens to walk by the musician and who happens to enjoy the performance is not predictable,” Domjan wrote in a personal essay. “But someone is bound to enjoy the performance.”

Domjan acquired his viola at Julliard’s preparatory school, where he studied and built on the knowledge he gained from viola lessons from his grandfather in Budapest, Hungary. After concerns from his parents about a stable future in music, he stepped away to pursue a career in psychology, becoming internationally recognized for his work on Pavlovian conditioning and behavior.

In the process of focusing on academia, he left his viola untouched for 35 years. 

“It was amazing how much I’d forgotten,” Domjan said.

Though joking about his ability lacking the same sharpness from his early playing days, Domjan’s performance never skipped or stumbled. In between playing pieces, 

Domjan provided anecdotes and pieces of history associated with the compositions, keeping the crowd, though coming and going, engaged with the pieces on a more relatable level.

“We’re playing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, who was born in March about 341 years ago, and if you think about it, that’s pretty remarkable,” Domjan said. “We are still playing his music.”

UT librarian Elise Nacca said Domjan’s performance provided a much needed and convenient break in the middle of the day, especially in a city where live music prices can be expensive and hard to attend.

“It’s so cool to watch somebody who is doing something they really love to do,” Nacca said. “That can be kind of rare, especially in academia.”

For electrical engineering PhD student Ashkan Aminian, the performance not only caught his eye, but also reminded him of a time he used to play the instrument. Aiminian said it’s rare to see the viola being played, considering that 

historically, compositions aren’t adapted to be played by the small instrument. Recently, he picked up his middle school instrument again, and watching Domjan play inspired him to keep practicing.

“You don’t really see viola soloists a lot,” Aminian said. “So I stayed and watched a little bit, and I was pleasantly surprised.”

Nacca and Aminian were among the crowd that stopped to hear Bach’s minuets and watch Domjan dance with the major and minor chords. Domjan said he didn’t mind the crowd or the people who stayed to listen for a short amount of time. The offering of music for the purpose of enlightening someone else’s day mattered most to him.

“Musicians participating in the ‘Bach in the Subways’ performances are doing what they love,” Domjan wrote. “They offer their music for the enjoyment of anyone who might walk by.”