Music will fill the air on Make Music Day, June 21, as people take music into the streets, parks and plazas of 700 cities across 120 countries. Make Music Day continues to grow in North America with more than 25 U.S. and Canadian cities hosting citywide events. The daylong celebration of the original social network—music—is the perfect time for retailers and manufacturers to connect with new music makers.
With two months to go, everyone from smaller music retailers to some of the best-known names in music products and publishing including Alfred Music, Guitar World, Hal Leonard Corp., Hohner, Kala Brand Music, Making Music Magazine, C.F. Martin & Co., Yamaha and Zildjian are planning creative music making events. Many of these manufacturers are now taking their events nationwide. For example to commemorate Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday, Yamaha is sponsoring a roving Clavinova Piano Bar in three Make Music cities where everyone is welcome to hop on board.
Retailers in Make Music Day cities and everywhere in between find Make Music Day a great way to connect with new customers and grow their local musical communities. Expanding on their participation last year, Sweetwater Sound, Inc. has stepped up to organize Make Music Fort Wayne in Indiana with dozens of events including hands-on music making opportunities designed for players of every skill level. “This year, we’re making our Make Music Day celebration event more of a community event,” said Sweetwater Store and Academy of Music and Technology Manager Thad Tegtmeyer. “We’re big believers in all people creating and playing music. If they do that together it’s even better.”
NAMM’s Mass Appeal supports NAMM Members, partners and communities’ creation of hands-on music making events for the masses. These events are generally single-instrument ensembles ranging from four bagpipes to more than 400 guitarists, where all ages and skill levels are welcome. Easy to produce Mass Appeal events include ukulele circles, free group lessons, drum circles, musical flash mobs and jam sessions. Current highlights include:
• Mass Appeal Guitars, 100s of players at Make Music New York, Seattle, Boston, and Nashville will play eight pop and rock classics. Twenty additional partners around the country will receive free booklets to pass out and create their own guitar Mass Appeals. Sponsored by Guitar World, C.F. Martin & Co., and Hal Leonard Corp.
• Mass Appeal Harmonicas, free harmonicas and harmonica lessons (first come first served) in each U.S. Make Music city. After a quick introduction to the instrument, players will jam. Sponsored by Hohner.
• Mass Appeal Ukuleles, ukulele circles convening at music retailers around the country, with books of ukulele tunes for all, gratis. Sponsored by Kala Brand Music and Alfred Music.
• Mass Appeal littleBits, an easy-to-use electronic instrument distributed for free in 10 Make Music cities. Participants will assemble their own synthesizers, and then – using the internet-enabled “cloudBit” – perform together, live, with players in other cities on June 21. Sponsored by littleBits / KORG.
It’s not too late to plan a Make Music Day event! Event ideas, timelines and publicity materials designed to support NAMM members’ participation can be found at NAMM.org. NAMM members and partners are welcome to contact NAMM Mass Appeal fellow Dave Ruder for assistance in creating music making events and connecting with Make Music organizers nationwide. Learn more at MakeMusicDay.org.
