The ancients celebrated summer solstice — the longest day of the year — with spiritual rituals that honored the sun, fire and other natural elements. Many groups still do. But these days, countless celebrants also mark June 21 by making and listening to music, a tradition largely attributed to a collaboration between French Minister of Culture Jack Lang and his director of music and dance, Maurice Fleuret, in 1982.
The two envisioned their new Fete de la Musique as a public celebration in the country’s streets, parks, community centers, backyards and porches — an inclusive, free-to-all music festival that would bring performers and audiences together across cultural and other divides. The event became hugely-popular in France and abroad, and music lovers in 1,000-plus locales around the globe now celebrate what has evolved as World Music Day every June 21. Garty Bowersox singing show tunes- 2023 MC-NPL-World Music Day.
(Photo provided by Expressive Path) Express. Path-Neveah Harrod and Sarai Marks, both 17. (Photo provided by Expressive Path) Image provided by Expressive Path Not only professionals or music students, either.
As imagined by Lang and Fleuret, participants include just about anybody. Professionals, amateurs, choirs, all ages, all ability levels. Got a tin ear but enjoy singing? You, too.
Locally, Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, 1001 Powell St., has scheduled ongoing events to mark World Music Day 2024, including a performance geared to pre-s.
