Make Music Day Gathers Music Makers from All Around the World—And Right Here in the Northwoods

Music makers and music lovers of the world, this celebration is for you. Originating in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, Make Music Day is held in more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries around the globe on the same day.

This year, the festival will take place on Tuesday, June 21. Everyone is welcome to take part, whether you’re a beginner or a professional, and whether your preferred genre is classical, heavy metal, or anything in between. This event is meant to be free and open to the public.

And the Beat Goes On

As you can imagine, Make Music Day will look a little different this year. While large, in-person concerts and other gatherings may be out of the question in most areas, music’s essential role of bringing people together is even more important and more powerful than ever. So there will be many events and activities that will allow people to participate while heeding social distancing recommendations. Here are some of the activities planned so far:

Bash the Trash Environmental Arts

Build instruments from everyday trash and play Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” and “Baby Shark” on June 21. There will be a video call where participants can share their creations.

Bedroom Studios

While live streaming, DJs and music producers will invite others to send them sounds and work these soundbites into their improvised compositions.

Flowerpot Music

Composer Elliot Cole and percussionist Peter Ferry will join online participants to perform a special piece that uses flowerpots as percussion instruments. Striking flowerpots with soft felt mallets apparently produces a beautiful “bell-like” tone—who knew?!

All-Day Global Music Livestream

Experience the beauty and diversity of music from all over the world.

Live From Home

Post your own musical performance from home. Tag your friends and challenge them to post their own performances, too!

#MySongIsYourSong

Think of this as a global musical swap meet. Learn a song by a local artist, and share your own with others.

Track Meet

Teams of four musicians race to create original tracks in a musical relay race.

25 x 12

U.S. music teachers will offer 12 hours of free Zoom group music lessons for 25 different instruments. Instruction ranges from beginner to advanced levels.

Window Serenades

Musicians in participating cities perform music outside select senior centers and nursing homes.

World’s Smallest Marching Band

Instead of the popular Sousapalooza events of other years, brass and wind players are invited to parade through their cities solo, playing music for people to listen to from their homes and workplaces.

Young Composers Contest

Youth ages 13 to 21 are invited to write a three-minute SATB choral piece, set to William Carlos Williams’s poem “By the Road to the Contagious Hospital.”

Make Music in the Northwoods

As mentioned before, cities all around the world are participating in Make Music Day. Closer to home, Land O’ Lakes, Chequamegon Bay, Barron, and Marshfield are among the Wisconsin communities joining the fun. Communities are still in the process of planning their schedules of events, so visit the communities’ individual Make Music Day pages for updates.

Make Music Day in Land O’ Lakes

Land O’ Lakes will be celebrating with events such as Car Park Concerts and Spot the Traveling Band. You can also play the piano outside of the LOLA Arts Center and enjoy the music park outside of Town Hall. The headliner, the Allen Brothers Band, will play from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Land O’ Lakes Snowflake Ice Rink.

If you are a musician who would like to perform in Land O’ Lakes on Make Music Day, call 715-547-3950 or visit https://lolaartswi.com/about/music-opportunities/ for more information on how you can get involved.

In the United States, Make Music Day is presented by The NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the Make Music Alliance. To learn more about Make Music Day, visit http://www.makemusicday.org/