Music making celebrated around the world on June 21st
The world’s largest annual music event, unified as the Make Music Day celebration (www.makemusicday.org), was held on the summer solstice – June 21st. This international event began in France as Fête de la Musique, and now takes place in 800 cities across 110 countries. This year the number of participating cities in the U.S. doubled to nearly 20, including the additions of major markets such as Austin, Nashville, and Boston. Celebrations of music also took place in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia. A full list of all participating cities can be found at www.makemusicday.org.
What started in France more than 30 years ago has become a global phenomenon with millions of musicians of all styles and skill levels coming out each year to perform for the public. This year’s daylong musical free-for-all is the largest to date as it continues the mass celebration of music in all its forms—encouraging absolutely everyone to join together and play.
This year NAMM’s Mass Appeal, a series of events supported by the National Association of Music Merchants and its members, provided people across the country with the opportunity to make music. This includes people who have never touched an instrument playing and learning alongside experienced musicians. Among this year’s all-inclusive events were multi-person harmonica and ukulele circles, free guitar lessons, an ensemble of 100 saxophones, traveling sing-alongs and drum-offs. These are a few of the thousands of events in the U.S. and the hundreds of thousands worldwide which all took place in unison on the longest day of the year.
On June 21, from morning to night, people of all ages, creeds, and musical persuasions — from hip hop to opera, Latin jazz to punk rock — performed on streets, sidewalks, stoops, plazas, parks and stores. From high school bands to marquee names, this celebration was open to absolutely anyone who wants to participate.
A few of the music making events that took place at Make Music Day in 2013:
400+ Guitarist Play Together In New York’s Union Square On To Celebrate Make Music Day
175 Keyboards Play Together Breaking Guinness World Record On National Music Day
GAMA Presents Free Guitar Lessons For All On New York Streets During Make Music Day
Privia Piano Bar Travels Through New York Bringing Karaoke To The People
People Learn To Play Harmonica On Make Music Day
Additional information on the events can me found at www.makemusicday.org.
