Let the music play all day Sunday
On the summer solstice each year, cities in 120 countries worldwide will be filled with music as a part of an international music day.
This year, people in Pittsburgh will be hitting the streets Sunday to play and listen to music as part of the free citywide event Make Music Pittsburgh.
The organization’s founder Jasmine Kurjakovic came up with the idea for the event while spending time in France. In 1982, the French government declared that people of all ages and musical skill levels should take to the streets and play music to celebrate the summer solstice. Since then, the “Fête de la Musique” has been copied and played around the world.
The idea behind the event is simple: to bring a community together by playing music where everyone can enjoy it. The Make Music Alliance supports U.S. cities in starting their own events. This year, 20 cities, including Pittsburgh, Boston and Nashville, will be celebrating the day by inviting people to play in the streets.
For the event, Ms. Kurjakovic called for both musicians to play music and venues that could provide a public space for musicians to play. Using an online program developed by New York City’s Make Music Day committee, musicians and venues could be paired based on availability and musical style.
“Venues are looking forward to this event as well because getting somebody to play in front of their building will bring business in their front door,” Ms. Kurjakovic said.
Because a busking license isn’t required in Pittsburgh, anyone can participate by playing outside as long as the sidewalk isn’t blocked and there are no noise complaints. A full list of musicians and venues registered for the event is on the Make Music Pittsburgh website, makemusicpittsburgh.org.
The Sounds of Pittsburgh Chorus, Carnegie Boys and Girls and Three Rivers String Quartet along with others will be performing at different locations throughout the day.
Members of Steel City Ukuleles, a group that is 4 years old and nearly 300 strong, will be playing from 1 to 3 p.m. in Schenley Plaza in Oakland.
To encourage the public’s participation, the group posted simple songs to its Meetup page so people could sing or play along. There also will be an information table and a few loaner ukuleles so people can learn how to play.
“Some of our people will be in the stage area, others will be sitting in the chairs, spaced out so if you want to learn to play, you can sit beside me and I’ll show you one or two chords and you’ll be playing along with us in no time at all,” said Marlene Parrish, one of the founders of Steel City Ukuleles and a Post-Gazette freelance food writer.
Ms. Kurjakovic hopes that the event will expose people to music that they normally don’t listen to, and that Make Music Day will become an annual event in Pittsburgh that will get more and more lively as it gains popularity.