September 10, 2021
A Look Back: Alfred Music on Make Music Day
Longstanding Make Music Day partner Alfred Music was back in force on June 21, 2021, donating 1,600 copies of their fantastic ukulele primer "It's Ukulele Time."
Dozens of Make Music Day ukulele events passed out the books, giving everyone an introduction to the instrument and a set of classic songs to play together.
Many thanks to Alfred Music for this generous contribution!
September 10, 2021
Happening Now: Welcoming Week
The Make Music Alliance is proud to be a partner for "Welcoming Week", organized by Welcoming America.
Welcoming Week, from September 10-19, is a time when a chorus of thousands — in communities large and small, rural and urban — celebrate the benefits of an inclusive society and deepen their commitment to creating places that are welcoming to everyone, including immigrants.
Just as Make Music Day embraces every kind of musician from every community, Welcoming Week celebrates a spirit of unity in our diverse society. The week's kick-off event begins September 9th at 6pm ET but there are other events all week.
Check out the full listings here!
July 30, 2021
Mark Your Calendar for Make Music Winter: December 21, 2021!
July 30, 2021
Thank you to our national sponsors!
We'd also like to give another shout-out to our national Make Music Day partners this year, with special thanks to the NAMM Foundation, without whom our work would not be possible.
July 30, 2021
Footage From Some Special Projects
July 30, 2021
Make Music Day – Thank You!
Congratulations to all who took part in last month's Make Music Day!
More than 3,334 music-making events took place in the U.S. on June 21 – twice as many as 2020 — along with performances by thousands more musicians in 120 countries around the world who celebrated the day.
Special congratulations go to the Make Music chapters in Chicago, Hawaii, Kansas City, Madison, New York, and Salem (OR) who each organized 100+ events on June 21.
Check out our 220 press clips about Make Music Day, from media outlets in 74 U.S. cities, to learn about events you may have missed!
June 21, 2021
10 Press Previews for Make Music Day
- "Goings On About Town: Make Music New York," by Jay Ruttenberg, The New Yorker, June 12, 2021
- "60 performers will take over 30 venues across the city for Make Music Cincinnati," by Sarah Michels, Cincinnati Enquirer, June 17, 2021
- "Entertainment: Make Music Hawaii day celebrates local artists and musicians," Hawaii News Now, June 3, 2021
- "Charlotte Celebrating Make Music Day With Several Pop-Up Performances," by Sarah Tate, iHeartRadio, June 9, 2021
- "You're invited to make music," by T.S. Last, Albuquerque Journal, June 13, 2021
- "Allen celebrates international Make Music Day with an instrument ‘petting zoo,’ free concerts," by Brandi Addison, Dallas Morning News, June 10, 2021
- "Make Music Madison coming Monday to private driveways, public parks and street corners," by Gayle Worland, Wisconsin State Journal, June 19, 2021
- "Make Music Day Salem Marks Return of Summer," by Virginia Barreda, Salem Statesman Journal, June 20, 2021
- "Kansas City Set To 'Make Music'," KCUR (NPR), June 18, 2021
- "Houston Matters (June 21, 2021)," by Michael Hagerty, Houston Public Media, June 21, 2021
June 20, 2021
Make Music Partner of the Week: Casio
This year, Make Music Day welcomes national partner Casio, with their new, highly portable CT-S200 keyboard (weighing less than 8 pounds).
Casio is providing 25 keyboards for Make Music Day performances in far-flung locations around the country: down a mineshaft in Platteville WI, on a mountain trail outside El Paso TX, in a zebra enclosure at a Philadelphia zoo, on the roof of the Liberty Memorial Tower in Kansas City, and many more.
Follow the hashtag #casiomusicgearMMD today to see all of these performances, from everywhere!
June 18, 2021
10 Amazing Things You Didn’t Know Were Happening For Make Music Day
- In Fairfield (CT), GRAMMY-winning musicians Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz from Talking Heads will lead one of the 32 worldwide gong ringing events for This Moment In Time
- Make Music Philly (PA) artists will play soothing piano melodies for the zebras in their enclosure at the Elmwood Park Zoo
- In New York (NY), Lang Lang Foundation Young Scholars will play Albert Lavignac's Galop-Marche on a Steinway Model D in the middle of Times Square
- The Yid Vicious Paddle Party in Madison (WI) will play klezmer tunes from a pontoon (pictured)
- Make Music Austin (TX) will present live music inside the Capitol Rotunda at noon
- The City of Kansas City (MO) will not only light up the skyline, but will dye the water in the Mill Creek and Concourse Fountains orange in honor of Make Music Day.
- Knoxville TN will celebrate the blues with music by Knoxville School of Rock and live painting at the Knoxville Museum of Art, for the first Make Music Knoxville
- Musicians from 23 countries have now filmed performances of John Cage's 4'33" to be released on Make Music Day.
- Shower singing returns to Lobsterman Park for Make Music Portland (ME)
- The Leafonist (based in Germany) has a new video explaining everything you need to play the Leafophone – start practicing!
June 18, 2021
Landmarks Across the U.S. Shining Orange for Make Music Day
For the fifth year, more than 35 buildings and landmarks around the country will turn orange in honor of Make Music Day!
Three bridges, four City Halls, and national landmarks like the World Trade Center Oculus, Niagara Falls, Prudential Plaza, and Hawaii's Aloha Tower will all participate by turning orange – evoking the sun, the start of summer, and the Make Music Day logo – on June 21.
Click here for the complete list!