Australia Joins Global Celebration of Music Making
MAKE MUSIC DAY IS THIS WEEKEND – MAKE SOME NOISE!
Make Music Day celebrations are taking place across Australia and around the world this weekend, and there is still time to get involved. Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, Make Music Day is celebrated on (or near) 21 June in more than 2,000 cities in dozens of countries around the world. The celebration is open to anyone who wants to take part.
Every kind of musician—young and old, amateur and professional, from every musical persuasion—is encouraged to perform in streets, parks, venues and backyards, or by uploading music online. Music lovers can join in by getting along to an event in their local area or by searching #makemusicday on social media to discover performances from around the world.
The Australian Music Association (AMA) leads the Make Music Day initiative in Australia. “This year we have sing-along sessions and choirs performing in malls and parks, percussion workshops for young and old, community jam sessions at beaches, cafés and pubs, and so much more. There are even plans for a kazoo flash mob! It really is a day for anyone and everyone,” says Emma Bienvenu, Project Officer for AMA. “We’re really encouraged by the increasing number of participants each year and the diverse and creative ways musicians from all walks of life are getting involved.”
The String Together program is also expanding in Australia, with 18 music stores and teaching studios across the country participating this year. Australia is now the third-largest participating country in the world. The initiative offers free guitar string changes, with many stores also hosting performances and workshops.
In Port Lincoln, the Cellar Folk Club is organising an acoustic jam session at the Port Lincoln Brewery for the second year running. “This acoustic jam session isn’t about performing or getting everything perfect. It’s simply an opportunity for people who love music to come together, play, sing, share a few laughs and enjoy making music as a community. Around the world, thousands of people will be doing exactly the same thing on Make Music Day, and it’s wonderful to know that our small corner of the Eyre Peninsula is part of something so positive and uplifting,” says organiser Rebecca Bach. “Together we’re building a wonderful annual tradition that celebrates acoustic music, community connection and the simple joy of making music together.”
In Tarneit, Victoria, eight-year old Vivaan Agarwal is leading a percussion workshop for children aged 5-12, sponsored by the Wyndham City Council Make Music Day Grants program. The same event was booked out last year and Vivaan’s passion for sharing his love of rhythm had many attendees seeking to take up music lessons as a result. The Coronation Hotel in Portland, NSW, is bringing live music to their local community with a performance by Mooks Music, who will also be live streaming his set on YouTube for anyone unable to attend a local event in person.
If you play or enjoy music, check out what’s happening in your local area for Make Music Day on, or in the lead-up to, 21 June.
· Search for an event near you or register your own event at makemusicaustralia.org.au.
· Participate online by tagging @makemusicaustralia, or search #makemusicday
Make Music Day is presented in Australia by the Australian Music Association with support from the NAMM Foundation and the Australian Government through Music Australia.