The annual worldwide Make Music Day is set to return on June 21st, with more than 4,500 events, music lessons, jam sessions and, of course, concerts, scheduled in more than 70 different U.S. cities. Make Music is a free celebration of music around the world on June 21st. Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique (in French, the name means both “festival of music” and “make music”), it is now held on the same day in more than 800 cities in 120 countries. The U.S. arm of Make Music Day is presented by the NAMM Foundation.
As the event’s mission statement notes, “Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music is open to anyone who wants to take part. Every kind of musician–young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion–pours onto streets, parks, plazas, and porches to share their music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public. Watch a clip from past Make Music Day celebrations below.
As Rolling Stone notes:
Make Music Day will revive several staple events for 2018, including over 200 Mass Appeals. The festival’s signature gathering boasts massive groups of musicians delivering impromptu performances while playing the same instruments. Elsewhere, hundreds of marching band enthusiasts will be able to celebrate the work of John Philip Sousa at various Sousapaloozas, while “Street Studios” will be set-up in more than 10 cities. These pop-up recording stations allow DJs and producers to make music with anyone who wanders by (one will even be placed in a cow pasture in Reedsburg, Wisconsin).
… Chattanooga, Tennessee, which will honor hometown hero Usher with a special car karaoke station. At the Nashville airport, local legend Lucius “Spoon Man” Talley will lead travelers in a mass spoon play-along … In New York City, a special Broadway revue will be held at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, while a massive concert featuring music in a range of styles will be held at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. In New Haven, Connecticut, organizers will try to break the record for the most vocal solos in a song recording.
Check out what Make Music Day events are going on near you, and get out there and make some damn music on June 21st! For a full list of participating cities and events, head to the Make Music Day website.
[Video: Make Music Day]
[H/T Rolling Stone]