On June 21st, the Summer solstice day, the whole world dances to the rhythm of the Music Day. An international event that has been repeated regularly for more than a quarter of a century, linked to the celebrations of the arrival of Summer, date on which, according to pagan beliefs, people, the sun, the earth and all living beings come into contact. Alongside the usual popular rites, Music is also celebrated; one of the best ways to meet and put together different cultures and social contexts.
The Music Day and its origins
“Music everywhere and the concert nowhere” was the slogan of the first edition, born on 1982 by the will and vision of Jack Lang, French Minister of Culture and the General Director of Music and Dance, Maurice Fleuret. The idea was to establish a big party where to create and live music thanks to the organization of many free concerts for a very large audience who can access all kinds of musical genres (classical music, jazz, rock, world music , rap, traditional music …). In squares, common areas, schools, museums, in the streets and even in airports, Music becomes the protagonist of a strong message of universal accessibility, an invitation to travel, to communion and communication between people and cultures.
This message will then be taken up in the following years, when the Music Day becomes an international event. More specifically, in 1985 the event crossed French borders on the occasion of the European Year of Music. In 1995, the festival spread to many capitals around the world, becoming World Music Day, one of the most important cultural events ever created.
The Music Day today
In less than 10 years, the Music Day has been celebrated in 85 countries, in the five continents. Only in France, it launches the organization of 18.000 sound events each year, for around 5 million musicians, bringing together more than 10 million spectators. In 2019, in Italy, thanks to the work of the AIPFM (Italian Association for the Promotion of the Music Day), more than 280 cities have participated, creating a network distributed throughout the national territory. In total, there were around 700 live music concerts in all the cities, mainly in the open air, with the participation of musicians of all levels and genres.
There’s a high participation also in many countries all around the world, where the Music Day becomes, over the years, an important event, carrying new musical trends, and promoting the visibility of artistic and cultural activities: renewal of traditional music, explosion of world musics, development of choirs, appearance of rap, techno, urban music, etc.
Music Day 2020
June 21st, 2020 will be an even more extraordinary day to reaffirm the importance of Music to the whole world. Despite the many organizational uncertainties caused by the health emergency, the Music Day will still take place this year. More than ever, it is essential to “revive” the Music, to create a moment to express the desire to live and to return to normality. Because, as we have seen in the many flash mobs from the balconies, in the streaming concerts of the last months, Music can overcome even the most difficult situations, creating moments of sharing and closeness.
It is important to celebrate the musicians and all those who work with and for Music.
And to avoid to celebrate the Music Day 2020 without Music, the demonstration launched in these days by La Musica che Gira, the Union of Workers of the Music System, has been shared on social media with the hashtags #senzaMusica and #IoLavoroConLaMusica. The purpose of this initiative is to ask the Government to take into account the needs of all those working in the music sector. An event collected by many musicians, from Vasco Rossi to Subsonica, from Jovanotti to Piero Pelù, passing by thousands of technicians, promoters, consultants, production houses, booking agencies and club owners who, with the lock down, have suffered serious and inevitable economic consequences.
In Italy, many cities will celebrate Music this June 21st. One of the most important celebrations will take place in Rome and will pay homage to Ezio Bosso, honorary citizen since June 20th, 2019 and recently deceased. The whole city will welcome – with free performances of all musical genres – the Maestro who told and demonstrated his love for Music.
Musicians, enthusiasts, professionals and above all amateurs, are invited to celebrate with spontaneous rituals, playing and singing outside, in the squares, in the courtyards, but also from windows and balconies.
We will celebrate Music with joy, sharing freedom and love.
Ocarina will be in the front row and you, are you ready?
