Make Music Day is here again, and Australia gets loud in celebration today. Bringing together communities in song and sound, events across the country offer performances that span across all genres and skill levels.
With its origins in France as Fête de la Musique, the occasion is now celebrated worldwide more than 40 years later in honour of the unity and connection fostered in sharing music.
The Sunshine Street Band. Photo © Cathy Bucanan
This year’s major international project, ‘Make Music, Make Friends’ has partnered 10 Australian schools with schools across the globe to share music and greetings with one another.
“Music making is something that resonates with people all over the world, it takes so many different forms and there are many musical languages to share but there really is a musical path for anybody that chooses to follow it,” said Executive Officer of the Australian Music Association (and member of The Vampires) Alex Masso.
“We have everything from people producing music at home to community bands, orchestras and choirs, street concerts, students, professionals, everyone can get involved.”
The celebrations are spread out all over NSW.
In Wollongong, a community band takes to the streets with folk and non-Western music. The CBD, Keiraville Community Shops and Crown Street Mall also feature a variety of jazz, swing and concert band music throughout the day. In Sydney, bands from a 12-week youth course in the Bondi WAVE program play at the Bondi Pavilion for an afternoon gala. Parramatta Square also hosts performances all day.
There are also festivities for those in regional areas of the state. Local school-aged musicians will form a ‘super band’ for a performance at Orange’s Conservatorium of Music, conducted by Phil Rees, while in Lithgow, there’s mid-morning concert at Club Lithgow and a ukulele group catches the eastward train to Central to fill the journey with joy.
Victoria’s Bernies Music Land in Ringwood invites locals to perform a piece on its grand piano or orchestral and classical organs or to simply enjoy the music. A community drum circle at St Marks Uniting Church Hall in Melbourne also marks the occasion, while in Geelong, the disability service provider Connect You 2 opens for all to sing and play together in an event hosted by musicians Josh Dower and Shannon Bourne.
Queensland also takes part in the fun. There’s an evening Acoustic Music Jam at the Palmwoods Bowls Club, improvisations from Metal Mike at Regents Park’s AURCK HQ.
Two primary school concerts mark a Western Australian celebration in Wembley’s Lake Monger Primary School, and at Broome North Primary School, with a performance by multi-instrumental community group The Black Chooks at Perth’s Falls Farm Cottage at night.
The ACT’s big bash is Operation: CBR Sonic Odyssey, a musical voyage across the city throughout the middle of the day. Locals can participate by submitting their favourite Canberra-made music here.
Check Make Music Australia’s calendar to see more celebrations near you.
For more information, visit Make Music Australia’s website.
