World Music Day on June 21 :

Discover vibrant musical cultures from around the globe

by Husna Inayathullah

World Music Day or the event known as Fête de la Musique is an annual music festival taking place on June 21 in cities around the world. It was created by the French Minister of Culture, Jack Lang.

Music Day is about creating a tangible presence of music throughout the whole day, wherever you are. It isn't about any specific forms of performance or musical style or setting. In fact, Music Day is about an active sharing of different cultures from around the world, with an emphasis on participation and hosted in an open and accessible way.

In Europe, under the names Fête de la Musique or World Music Day, this tradition has been going on since as far back as 1982. In many countries the celebrations take place on the streets and in public spaces.

In October 1981, Maurice Fleuret became Director of Music and Dance at Minister of Culture Jack Lang's request. He applied his reflections to the musical practice and its evolution "the music everywhere and the concert nowhere."

When he discovered, in a 1982 study on the cultural habits of the French, that five million people, one child out of two, played a musical instrument, he began to dream of a way to bring people out on the streets.

It first took place in 1982 in Paris as the Fête de la Musique .

Ever since, the festival has become an international phenomenon, celebrated on the same day in more than 460 cities in 110 countries, including Germany, Italy, Egypt, Syria, Morocco, South Africa, Australia, Vietnam, Congo, Cameroon, Mauritius, Fiji, Colombia, Chile, Nepal, and Japan.

Promoting music

Its purpose is to promote music in two ways such as:

Amateur and professional musicians are encouraged to perform in the streets. The slogan Fête de la Musique is used to promote this goal.

Many free concerts are organised, making all genres of music accessible to the public. Two of the caveats to being sanctioned by the official Fête de la Musique organisation in Paris are that all concerts must be free to the public, and all performers donate their time for free.

Despite there being a large tolerance about the performance of music by the general public of amateurs in public areas after usual hours, the noise restrictions still apply, and can cause some establishments to be forbidden to open and broadcast music out of their doors without prior authorisation. So the prefectures of police in France can still forbid them to install any audio hardware in the street.

Anywhere can be a potential stage for a small Music Day performance such as parks, street corners, cafe terraces, rooftops, underpasses and playgrounds. Music Day is an accessible and level playing field for amateur musicians to hold what might be their first concert.

Music Day is a day that gives you opportunity to seek out and discover vibrant musical cultures from around the globe. It makes sense then that this is a perfect platform for you to present your own culture as well.

In the 21st century our notions of music are fully stretched and now encompass many forms of sonic artistry. Perhaps you can gather a flash mob somewhere public and have one minute's worth of noise for the living!

Open doors

Fête de la Musique was not the only great idea to come over the Channel - 'Port Ouverte' or 'Open Doors' is when many places that may not usually be accessible to the public make the switch for a day.

Invite people to see your building and have them enjoy a concert whilst they do.

The future of music in the UK of course lies with our youth. A Music Day concert in the school playground, or outside the gates, can be a focal point for the music students to work towards.

Though many Music Day events will take the form of concerts it is also about getting your hands dirty and picking up an instrument. Perhaps you can organise a practical workshop for the budding musicians out there.

Why stop at simply playing an instrument? Music Day is also about education and the daytime can host workshops, lectures and discussions. One idea would be to gather recycled materials and help people build an instrument that is ready to show its colours at an evening concert.

It doesn't have to wind down at sundown on what is the longest day of the year. As night creeps in the party can move to venues, clubs and bars and continue till dawn. Perhaps you can rally together other venues in your locality and create 'a crawl'. The events would have to be free-entry, but that does not stop you covering costs with the bar, merchandise or competitions.

La fête de la Musique is an annual event which takes place in all Alliances Françaises around the world every June 21. On that special day everybody can play music or sing everywhere, even in the streets and public places.

It is a unique occasion for the students of Alliance to perform on stage in French. In Sri Lanka Alliance Française in Kandy will celebrate the Day on June 22 at 4.30 pm. at Alliance Française in Kandy.

This Music day allows the expression of all styles of music in a cheerful atmosphere.

It aims at a large audience, working to popularise musical practice for young and not so young people from all social backgrounds. It gives an opportunity to communicate and share a very special moment through music.