Make Music Day 2020 Continues Tradition with Virtual Events for All Ages

For years, Make Music Day on June 21 has brought musicians from all walks of life and musical abilities together in Connecticut and across the globe – and this year is (virtually) no different.

Because of the COVID-19 health restrictions, the event, sponsored locally by the Greater Hartford Arts Council, will be brought directly to participants’ homes. From livestreamed classes full of musical activities to performances from Connecticut-based groups, this year’s event promises to keep the tradition of fun and innovation alive.  

Created in France in 1982 as Fête de la Musique, this worldwide music celebration is observed by hundreds of millions of people from more than 1,000 cities across 120 countries. In the United States, the annual festival is presented by the NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the non-profit Make Music Alliance. More than 85 U.S. cities will participate, as well as the entire states of Connecticut, Hawaii, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

Within Connecticut, the northwestern and southeastern parts of the state are proud to participate, as well as 13 towns: Danbury, East Granby, Fairfield, Hartford, Hebron, Middletown, Milford, New Haven, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, Stratford, and Waterbury.

Maddie Stenson, Program Director of the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council told The Register Citizen, “This event is really special to the Northwest corner. The musicians here bring such a rich energy to the culture of the region, and Make Music Day is a full-on celebration of that. We hope that, despite the pandemic, performances will be just as meaningful as ever.”

In the capital city, Make Music Hartford has been coordinated by the Greater Hartford Arts Council since 2018, and draws over 1,000 people each year.

“In previous years, when we were able to have live, in-person events, we’ve had over 85 musical events spread out across the city of Hartford,” explained Amanda Roy, Director of Community Impact at the Greater Hartford Arts Council. “A major focus of our program is to provide participatory music experiences, like free music lessons, jam sessions, or unique opportunities for musicians to make music together that’s unlike any other day.”

The tradition will live on this year, as the Greater Hartford Arts Council adapted Make Music Hartford events for a COVID-19 world.

“As soon as the pandemic hit, our Make Music Hartford committee came together to think about how we could adapt programming and create a meaningful day in a virtual setting,” shared Roy. “One of the big changes this year is linking Make Music Hartford to some of the national and international virtual events.”

Some of these events include: #MySongIsYourSong, where musicians cover each other’s songs; Bash the Trash, which invites participants to turn trash items into instruments; and Track Meet, a six-hour event during which teams of four musicians create brand new original tracks in a  creative relay.

Additionally, the Connecticut community can join in Hartford’s performance of Flowerpot Music, composed by Eliot Cole, as it goes international, or Virtual Shower Singing, which encourages participants to unleash their “inner diva.” For a complete list of events, click here.

In a time of social distancing, the opportunity to connect with members of the community could be more important than ever.

“I think Connecticut residents are looking for something joyful to do. Events like Make Music Hartford are important,” said Roy. “We’re experiencing very stressful and challenging times. The celebration of Make Music Day around the world is meant to be a fun event that connects musicians and the community. That’s exactly what Make Music Hartford 2020 is all about, even though those connections will be online.”

Have a creative way to get involved? Contact Roy directly at aroy@letsgoarts.org.

This story was reported and written for CT by the Numbers by Elizabeth Marone, a freelance writer based in Hartford.

Photos by Ray Shaw.