Stanly County to celebrate Make Music Day

Stanly County will join forces to present free music workshops and free musical performances on June 21 for Make Music Day, a global music celebration on the summer solstice each year that brings people of all ages and skill levels together to make music.

This year, Stanly County will join 154 U.S. cities hosting thousands of Make Music Day performances nationwide, as part of the world’s largest annual music event. More than 5,000 musical events will occur globally on June 21.

Make Music Day began in France in 1982 as the Fête de la Musique, and today it is celebrated in more than 2,000 cities across 120 countries. Distinct from a traditional music festival, Make Music Day celebrates and encourages the natural music maker in everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, background or skill level. Make Music Day is a free and open invitation for everyone to make, enjoy, perform, teach, learn and experience the joy of making music on the longest day of the year.

Reimagining their cities and towns as stages, every kind of musician – young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion – pours onto streets, parks, plazas, porches, rooftops, gardens and other public spaces to celebrate, create and share their music with friends, neighbors and strangers.

“With the rich traditions and deep roots of music in Stanly County, we are thrilled to be one of the first 12 counties in North Carolina to bring this global celebration of music to Stanly County. Although the free workshops will be centered in downtown Albemarle and Locust Town Center, we are excited and working hard to ensure that there are free music activities throughout the county. We look forward to Make Music Day Stanly County becoming an annual event that everyone looks forward to each year on the summer solstice, June 21,” said Renee VanHorn, executive director of the Stanly County Arts Council, sponsor of Make Music Day Stanly County. “Community members are working hard throughout our county to help their neighbors, friends and family members make music the universal language that brings people together. Play on, Stanly County.”

Highlights of Make Music Day celebrations in Stanly County will include:

• Free workshops in downtown Albemarle and Locust – including bucket drumming, ukulele, guitar, voice, harmonica and How to Make a Rock Band. All workshops are taught by certified music teachers from Music on Main and rBc Music Store.

• Instrument Petting Zoos at Albemarle Music Store and rBc Music Store in Locust.
Check Make Music Day website — https://www.makemusicday.org/stanlycounty/ — for the specific times when members of the Stanly County Concert Band and high school band students will be available to demonstrate instruments.
Instruments will be available all day to view.

• Rhythm Instrument Creation Stations will be at the branches of the Stanly County Library (Albemarle, Locust, Oakboro and Norwood). Come in to the library to create shakers and create percussion sounds with your favorite songs. While supplies last.

• Make a kazoo and learn a song with the Stanly County Chorale at the Stanly County History Center from 10-11 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m.

• Visit the Stanly County History Center and learn about the global aspect of Make Music Day, including the music and instruments from the different countries that participate. NC Music Hall of Fame will also be on hand with various activities throughout the day.

• Free performances throughout the day throughout the county. See https://www.makemusicday.org/stanlycounty/ for the full lineup of events.

The website will be updated automatically when new performances are scheduled throughout the county.
Any musician, amateur or professional, young or old, is invited to visit https://www.makemusicday.org/stanlycounty/ to sign up to participate. Likewise, businesses, buildings, schools, churches and other institutions can visit the website to offer their outdoor spaces as concert locations. Registration deadline for venues and musicians to participate is June 14.

For more information, contact VanHorn at stanlycountyartscouncil1974@gmail.com .

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