Porch Stomp is a vibrant celebration of traditional and contemporary folk music and dance, set on Governors Island off the lower tip of Manhattan, against the iconic backdrop of the city skyline. The free annual festival brings together an eclectic lineup of musicians, who perform on charming porches and pop-stages scattered throughout the island. Attendees can immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of folk music styles, from bluegrass to Americana, while soaking in the laid-back, community atmosphere. With workshops, jam sessions, and opportunities for spontaneous collaboration, Porch Stomp fosters a sense of kinship among musicians and audience members alike, making it a cherished gathering for folk music enthusiasts from all walks of life and including rank beginners to seasoned professionals.

Porch Stomp 2026 will feature 21 stages, hosted by different NYC folk music organizations. To apply to play Porch Stomp 2026, artists can fill out the artist application, linked HERE. The application responses will be filtered to stage hosts, who will reach out to artists they’d like to book. The artist application deadline is May 29, and the deadline for stage hosts to book their stages is June 8th. Ready to plan your day? Keep an eye out for the full schedule and further details, coming soon on the Porch Stomp site.

Even more ways to Stomp:  Don't miss the Porch Stomp Launch Party on June 8th at Cowgirl Seahorse, and the Porch Stomp After Party on June 20th at Brooklyn Ice House.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

“Plaza by Plaza” returns! Thanks to a partnership with the New York CIty Department of Transportation, Make Music New York and public plaza managers across four boroughs will activate ten engaging concerts featuring NYC’s homegrown local talent.

The Diversity Plaza lineup of performers includes:

Prinkipo 
10:30am-12:00pm
Prinkipo is an ensemble based in New York City that blends the musical traditions of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The ensemble includes Fuat Caner Tokgozol on oud, Gilbert Mansour on percussion, Ozlem Rozanitis on vocals, Sal Mamudoski on clarinet, Dila Oktay on kemenche, and Bashar Farran on bass. Their repertoire showcases a rich blend of maqams, rhythms, and various musical traditions from these regions, including rebetiko, traditional folk and classical music.Their music is a collection of traditional melodies, passed down through generations and shared across Turkiye, Greece, and the Eastern Mediterranean. These songs serve as living narratives, woven into the collective heritage of these regions, forming a rich sound atlas. Each performance is marked by expressive solos and spontaneous musical conversations.

HONK Family Band
2:15pm - 2:30pm
Born on the Open Streets of New York City in 2022, Honk Family Band has fast become one of New York’s favorite, first-call party bands. Bringing the sounds of The Big Easy and beyond to diverse audiences at inclusive events across all reaches of The Big Apple, the ever evolving group plays a wide variety of genres, performing everything from Rebirth Brass Band, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington to the Talking Heads, Nirvana, Fela Kuti, and more. When the group is called to parade, their innovative blend of New Orleans standards with Brazilian samba rhythms has led Second Lines for the Jersey City Jazz Fest, The Brooklyn Botanical Garden, The Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Bryant Park, The Village Halloween Parade, Sinterklaas, countless neighborhood Open Streets celebrations, community events, and more.

More artists will be added soon, so be sure to check back again.

Presented in partnership with Queens Economic Development Corporation with thanks to the Office of CIty Council Member Shekar Krishnan.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

Open Call for adventurous souls that want to hum! 

Led by composer, sound artist and musician John Hastings, HUM is a participatory performance for an audience of people humming along with the sound of a power generation substation or transformer, in this case the DUMBO ConEd Farragut Substation. Our local power generators emit a cycling wave of 60Hz, which transferred to the piano would reside somewhere between B♭ and B. A postcard-sized score will be handed out, though no musical knowledge is necessary. Audience, performers, and all are welcome to join in the humming. More information can be found at https://www.johnphastings.org. 

This is a casual pop-up performance. Walkups are welcome, but it’s nice to know how many people to expect and how to reach them in case of any day of updates. Please take a moment to sign up by visiting: https://forms.gle/e3ns2quS55Vupz3U6

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

“Plaza by Plaza” returns! Through a unique partnership with the New York CIty Department of Transportation, Make Music New York and public plaza managers across four boroughs will activate ten special concerts featuring homegrown local talent.

The Marcy Plaza lineup of performances includes:

11:00 am - 11:30 am
J La Sol
A hip-hop emcee and poet hailing from Queens, NY. Generally known as a quiet child, Sol found his voice through the power of poetry, which ultimately evolved into the art of music. Since then, he has used his talents to inspire and share his story with people all across NY and different parts of the country. Sol believes his voice is meant for more than just stages and he proves that through his performing on the streets and subways of NYC.

11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Unison Steel
A dynamic steelpan ensemble hailing from Brooklyn, established in 2020 by a group of seasoned musicians. These founders, who also perform in the band, have been part of the Brooklyn steelpan community for over a decade. Known for their versatile repertoire, Unison Steel's performances span genres from R&B and bachata to funk, kompa, and pop. They've made significant strides in the steelband community, performing at prestigious venues like the historical Kings Theater and opening for the annual Panorama competition. Their commitment to setting new standards in musical quality and performance, coupled with their passion for nurturing the unique sense of community inherent in a steelband, has made Unison Steel a vibrant and influential force in the music world.

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
sou
A Brooklyn-based artist, producer, and live creative whose work blends hip-hop, jazz, and R&B through raw performance, live instrumentation, and community-centered energy. Backed by a live band, his sets move between improvisation, soulful textures, and rhythmic intensity, pulling influence from underground New York rap, jazz fusion, and intimate live sessions rather than traditional concert structures. Growing out of Brooklyn’s DIY music and arts scene, Sou approaches performance as both documentation and gathering: creating spaces that feel personal, collaborative, and emotionally immediate. His performances prioritize atmosphere as much as musicianship, combining live vocals, dynamic arrangements, and stripped-back moments that allow the audience to feel inside the music rather than separated from it. Outside of performing, Miles is also the founder of The Physical, a Brooklyn-based cultural platform focused on live events, artist showcases, and filmed performances.

Presented in partnership with the Bed Stuy Gateway BID.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

“Plaza by Plaza” returns! Through a unique partnership with the New York CIty Department of Transportation, Make Music New York and public plaza managers across four boroughs will activate ten special concerts featuring homegrown local talent.

The Malcolm X Plaza lineup includes:

Mass Appeal: Kalimbas
4:00-5:00pm 
Master mbira player Kevin Nathaniel will lead a workshop on the fundamentals of the instrument and will have on hand instruments to share with participants. Afterwards he will conduct a group play along for all to share their new skills. Open to all players and beginners are encouraged!

Kalimba Groove Experience
5:00-6:00pm
The workshop will be followed with an ensemble performance in which Kevin will be joined by: Saco Myoji on kalimba, Yusuke Yamamoto on vibes, and Sanga of the Valley on djembe.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

Open Call for brass, woodwind, and percussion players of all ages and skill levels! 

Join us for the return of the beloved Sousapalooza: a lively, participatory concert celebrating the iconic marches of John Philip Sousa. Brass, woodwind, and percussion players of all skill levels are invited to sight-read and perform together in this joyful pop-up event, conducted by Oscar Wiley Thorp.

Interested in playing? Register here to receive your call time and sheet music links. Please print your own parts in advance: Sousapalooza Scores

Presented in partnership with BXP.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

“Plaza by Plaza” returns! Through a unique partnership with the New York CIty Department of Transportation, Make Music New York and public plaza managers across four boroughs will activate ten special concerts featuring homegrown local talent.

The Herman Hochberg Plaza lineup of performers includes:

Kid Bowery 
12:00-1:00pm 
Kid Bowery makes sleaze-folk. Sleaze-folk has dirty layers and a messy personality and algorithms despise it, but rats around the East Village find it familiar enough for a good time. His songs nod to psych and writer-centered album rock of the 1970's. You should also know that Kid Bowery is a sucker for narrative in song. And that he tends toward lushly arranged vocals but sneaks in the sawtooth wave wherever he can because "harmony is a tyrant sometimes, and a bulwark of harnessed electricity keeps all that in check." Kid Bowery is pleased to have violated only some of these closely held tenets on his is latest self-produced release, "Brother Honey Passes Before Us."

Kenneth Voisin
1:30-3:30pm 
Longtime fan favorite Kenneth plays pop, rock, children's and standards music.

Joe Fuoco’s Music Center
5:00-8:00pm 
Joe Fuoco was a music prodigy who — while still a senior in high school in 1973 — opened his first music center in Ridgewood, Queens. By 1982, he settled into its current home on Myrtle Avenue in Glendale, where music lovers can to this day buy instruments and learn how to play them. Fuoco and his wife Jeanette even offer scholarships to local kids who have musical aspirations.

Presented in partership with the Myrtle Avenue BID.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

“Plaza by Plaza” returns! Through a unique partnership with the New York CIty Department of Transportation, Make Music New York and public plaza managers across four boroughs will activate ten special concerts featuring homegrown local talent.

The Bogardus Plaza presents an afternoon with:

Flor de Massapê
12:00-3:00pm 
Flor de Massapê is a musical duo formed by Dora Flor and Davi Massapê. Rooted in Brazilian music, their sound transforms and evolves with every new guest who joins a performance. At Bogardus Plaza, Flor de Massapê will transform the city square into a dance party through the Brazilian music genre Forró. Forró is rich, alive, and meant to be shared in community, and can be described as a kind of Brazilian folk music. Built around the accordion, percussion, and voice, it can be enjoyed in many ways, and one of the best is through dancing. This event invites every spectator to experience it however feels right to them, because this kind of music doesn’t just make you move, it makes you feel alive.

Presented in partnership with The Friends of Bogardus Plaza.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

“Plaza by Plaza” returns! Through a unique partnership with the New York CIty Department of Transportation, Make Music New York and public plaza managers across four boroughs will activate ten special concerts featuring homegrown local talent.

The Lowery Plaza lineup includes performances by:

Prinkipo
2:00-3:30pm
Prinkipo is an ensemble based in New York City that blends the musical traditions of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The ensemble includes Fuat Caner Tokgozol on oud, Gilbert Mansour on percussion, Ozlem Rozanitis on vocals, Sal Mamudoski on clarinet, Dila Oktay on kemenche, and Bashar Farran on bass. Their repertoire showcases a rich blend of maqams, rhythms, and various musical traditions from these regions, including rebetiko, traditional folk and classical music.Their music is a collection of traditional melodies, passed down through generations and shared across Turkiye, Greece, and the Eastern Mediterranean. These songs serve as living narratives, woven into the collective heritage of these regions, forming a rich sound atlas. Each performance is marked by expressive solos and spontaneous musical conversations.

HONK Family Band
4:00-5:00pm
Born on the Open Streets of New York City in 2022, Honk Family Band has fast become one of New York’s favorite, first-call party bands. Bringing the sounds of The Big Easy and beyond to diverse audiences at inclusive events across all reaches of The Big Apple, the ever evolving group plays a wide variety of genres, performing everything from Rebirth Brass Band, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington to the Talking Heads, Nirvana, Fela Kuti, and more. When the group is called to parade, their innovative blend of New Orleans standards with Brazilian samba rhythms has led Second Lines for the Jersey City Jazz Fest, The Brooklyn Botanical Garden, The Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Bryant Park, The Village Halloween Parade, Sinterklaas, countless neighborhood Open Streets celebrations, community events, and more.

MORE Opera
5:00-6:00pm 
MORE Opera transforms lives and inspires excellence by presenting concerts and educational outreach programs of the highest quality to students, families, and older adults​ in underserved communities via the not-for-profit ADVANCE–the Association for the Development of Vocal Artistry and Neighborhood Cultural Enrichment, a 501(c)(3) vocal arts and cultural organization that strives to make classical music and opera accessible and affordable for all.

Presented in partnership with LaGuardia Community College Performing Arts Center and Sunnyside Shines BID.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

Open Call for guitar players of all ages and skill levels! 

Among our most popular long standing traditions, Make Music New York again teams up with the NYC Guitar School to present a full afternoon of events for guitar players of all ages, skill levels and music styles that includes a Massive Guitar Jam! 

SCHEDULE:

3:00-4:00 Tutorials and open small group jams.

4:00 Gather on the steps of Union Square South Plaza for a mass play- and sing-along. HAVE FUN!

4:30 Hang out and enjoy live music from awesome local bands curated by the NYC Guitar School.

TO JOIN & PREPARE:

1) Sign up now at: https://www.meetup.com/mass-appeal-guitars/events/314881231/ Walkups on the day of are welcome, but it’s nice to know how many players to expect!

2) Learn to play and/or sing one or more of these beginner friendly songs using this one page Cheat Sheet Of Awesomeness with super-broken-down-simple-versions of the songs:

2026 SONGS

1. "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" – James Brown 
2. "Rebel Rebel" – David Bowie
3. "Pink Pony Club" – Chappell Roan
4. "Oye Como Va" – Santana/Tito Puente
5. "What's Up?" – 4 Non-Blondes

ON MAKE MUSIC DAY SUNDAY, JUNE 21st:

1) Bring your guitar (or uke or any other instrument really!) Electric guitarists and bassists are welcome to bring battery powered amps, but no power supply is available. Also bring water, sunscreen, a hat or whatever it takes to be comfy. And keep in mind that Union Square is a crowded urban park—we recommend gig bags with name tags to avoid confusion.

2)Check in at the welcome table near the steps at Union Square Park South Plaza to pick up song charts and enter a drawing for prizes like three months of free NYC Guitar School classes, T-shirts, and more.

3) Starting at 3:00pm, practice with our instructors! There will be separate break out groups for each of the songs plus free one-on-one lessons for absolute beginners. 

4) Starting at 4:00pm, we will play along EN MASSE! There is room for about 120 people to sit on the steps, and you can also bring your own chair or guitar strap to play standing up.

More questions? Want to volunteer? Want to bring a group? Message us at info@nycguitarschool.com

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

Have you ever wondered what it is like to conduct a classical orchestra? If so, we have just the program for you. In a special partnership with our friends at Improv Everywhere, we are excited to announce “Conduct Us”, a participatory performance experience that puts the baton into the hands of the public.

The Googler Orchestra will be tuned and ready to perform Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony — and just waiting for a curious New Yorker like you to step up to the lectern, take the waiting baton in hand, and start conducting them. No experience is required (that’s the point!), just a sense of fun and adventure. So swing by Astor Place Plaza and Make Music with us!

Presented in partnership with ImprovEveryehere and the Village Alliance.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

Open Call for harmonica beginners of all ages! 

Have you ever wanted to learn to play the harmonica? Or to show off your secret harmonica chops? Then we have the perfect music adventure for you. Harmonica virtuoso Jiayi He, teacher at Brooklyn Music School and contestant on America's Got Talent, will lead crash course lessons that will have beginners making music in minutes. And after giving every new performer some solo time in front of the mic, Jiaye will lead the entire gathering in a rousing group play-along. This program is perfect for kids of all ages and their families. 

Walkups are welcome, but it’s nice to know how many players to expect. Please take a moment to sign up by emailing HarmonicaDay@gmail.com. 

Free East Top harmonicas will be available to participants on a first-come, first-served basis!

Presented in partnership with East Top and The Battery.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

Make Music New York is pleased to announce that Mozart’s Requiem will return this season due to popular demand with an in-person, participatory performance open to singers and orchestra musicians of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. 

In past years, these performances of Mozart’s Requiem, organized by conductor Douglas Anderson and producer Melissa Gerstein, have proven both popular and profoundly moving. This season, they invite singers and instrumentalists from across New York City and beyond to celebrate the Summer Solstice and remember lost loved ones by performing Mozart’s profound and solemn work, the Requiem, K. 626, at 601 Lexington Avenue at 53 rd Street (NE corner).

From Maestro Anderson: “We will gather again this year as part of the Make Music New York annual festival to perform and present this great piece of music with its original intention: to honor loved ones who have passed.  Participating in this event, and performing simultaneously with this group of like-minded performers, provides a much-needed lift to the spirits of all engaged in the endeavor.  An hour of your time spent in the solemn exercise on your part in performing this exceptional piece of music will be a lasting tribute to the family, friends, acquaintances, and fellow citizens we have all lost.  We, the world, and history will know that we performed in their memory.”

The performance will begin at 7:00 pm sharp on June 21 with an introduction and notes from conductor and composer Douglas Anderson and will conclude at approximately 8:15 pm.  

Register to Participate Today!

Send an email to: mmnymozart@gmail.com or use the Google Forms link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRGz6eZ8PfwZSmnrxk9Ix7HWrVR2_dJZENjPhKjZ5LNIIdog/viewform

In your email, please include:

• Your name as you’d like it to appear on our online program guide

• Your vocal part (SATB) or instrumental part

• If you would like to dedicate your performance, indicate for whom you are singing or playing

Vocal Scores and Preparation

Feel free to use your score and part to participate. If you need to find and print out a score, any edition of the Sussmayer standard version will suffice. To download one, go

to: http://imslp.org/wiki/Requiem_in_D_minor%2C_K.626_(Mozart%2C_Wolfgang_Amadeus)

Scroll down to where it shows ‘Sheet Music,’ click on the ‘Vocal scores’ tab, and choose a score.

Pay attention to the font size and clarity of the score in your search, as these vary widely. The languages of the accompanying notes also differ. We will be singing in the original Latin, which all scores have.

To Practice the vocal parts on your own, visit Cyberbass! Here at: http://www.cyberbass.com/Major_Works/Mozart_W_A/mozart_KV626_requiem.htm

Remember, the tempos for the live performance may vary somewhat from the online version.

Orchestra Scores and Preparation

Orchestra Instrumentation

The Requiem is scored for two clarinets (or basset horns), two bassoons, two trumpets in D, three trombones (alto, tenor, and bass), timpani (2 drums), first and second violins, violas, cellos, double basses, and organ. Instrumentalists who play instruments that are not included in Mozart’s orchestra are also invited; they will have to choose a part appropriate to their device and adapt (transpose, etc.) it to work in the performance.

To find the instrumental parts for this performance of Mozart’s Requiem, go to imslp.org with this link: http://imslp.org/wiki/Requiem_in_D_minor%2C_K.626_(Mozart%2C_Wolfgang_Amadeus)

Scroll down to where it shows ‘Sheet Music,’ click on the ‘Parts’ tab, and (important!) go to the second set of parts (Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, n.d. (ca.1890) ), click on the list of instruments, select the part you need, and print out the PDF of the part.

Use #MozartRequiemMMNY to get the word out to your friends and colleagues!

Presented in partnership with BXP.

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!

Punk Island music fest is a daylong, multi-stage, annual manifestation of our collective energy and more than just a festival – it's a living, breathing embodiment of punk culture. Breaking free from genres, we define punk as a culture rooted in DIY ethics and unrestricted expression. 

Join us for a day-long celebration where the underground takes center stage, and freedom of expression is the anthem. Punk Island music fest is where the unfiltered, unapologetic spirit of punk thrives. More information here!

View the full program for the 20th Anniversary Make Music Day in New York here!