CALL TO MUSICIANS: International Music Festival Takes Root in VT; Concert Coordinators and Artists Sought
Press Release by Big Heavy World.
BURLINGTON — On June 21 Vermont historically joins 120 countries in simultaneously celebrating music across the landscape, participating for the first time in the annual international ’Make Music Day’ celebration on the summer solstice. Founded in France in 1982 as ‘Fête de la Musique,’ it is brought to Vermont as ‘Make Music VT’ by Big Heavy World. A free day-long public celebration of music in all its forms, Make Music VT encourages Vermonters of all ages to join together and play at porches, sidewalks, stores, and stages. Make Music VT includes everyone from high school bands to marquee names, and people who have never touched an instrument, playing and learning alongside experienced musicians.
This year, more than 30 U.S. cities are organizing Make Music Day celebrations, creating thousands of music making opportunities nationwide. Vermont joins this worldwide festival as the first entire U.S. state to participate — more than 700 cities have led the way, including New York, Brisbane, Prague, Edinburgh, and Vienna.
Artists who’d like to participate should register at http://www.bigheavyworld.com/makemusicvt, as well as anyone who would like to coordinate a concert. Whether on a porch or in a park, the event is meant to help Vermonters experience the joy of live music, making it free and festive during a day of sharing. To help prepare for the summer event, musicians and concert coordinators are encouraged to register now. Registering is free, like all Make Music VT concerts. There is a special need for experienced small-scale acoustic concert presenters to help bring Make Music VT into Vermont’s state parks, a unique opportunity provided by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
Early Make Music VT supporters and participants include Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace and Fletcher Free Library, New City Galerie, the Caballbreaker music cooperative of central Vermont, the Vermont Creative Network at the Vermont Arts Council, Vermont State Parks and more.
Make Music VT is hosted by Big Heavy World, Vermont’s independent music office, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2016. Big Heavy World is a nonprofit organization promoting and preserving the original music of the state, bigheavyworld.com. Big Heavy World is a member of the Make Music Alliance, www.makemusicday.org, the national coordinator of Make Music Day in the U.S.
Make Music Day in the U.S. is sponsored in great part by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), https://www.namm.org.
For more information: http://www.bigheavyworld.com/makemusicvt
Contact: James Lockridge, Big Heavy World (802) 865-1140, info@bigheavyworld.com
Photo: Senayit, a rock and soul singer-songwriter based in the Upper Connecticut River Valley, will perform and help coordinate Make Music VT concerts with the central Vermont Caballbreaker musician cooperative. http://senayit.com Photo by Jack Rowell.