What is Make Music New York?
Now in its sixth year, Make Music New York, “the largest music event ever to grace Gotham” (Metro New York), is a unique festival of free concerts in public spaces throughout the five boroughs of New York City, all on June 21st, the first day of summer. MMNY takes place simultaneously with similar festivities in more than 460 cities around the world — a global celebration of music making.
From 10 in the morning to 10 at night, public spaces throughout the five boroughs — sidewalks, parks, community gardens, and more — become impromptu musical stages, dance floors, and social meeting points. Thousands of amateur musicians, in every genre, perform on sidewalks for the biggest crowds of their lives. Professional musicians perform for new audiences, who come out from under their headphones to hear unfamiliar groups risk-free. And everyone is invited to sing along and enjoy the first day of summer.
Among the over 1,000 concerts each year, MMNY includes a number of special projects: “Mass Appeal,” where hundreds of musicians band together to perform massive pieces written for a single type of instrument; “Punk Island” on Governors Island; music by the great Greek composer Iannis Xenakis in Central Park; and others, listed here.
Some 5,000 musicians performed in 2011. Along with concerts by individual artists, dozens of New York cultural institutions took part — including Carnegie Hall, Central Park Summer Stage, City Winery, Joe’s Pub, Jazzmobile, River to River, and more.
Where did the idea come from?
Make Music New York is based on France’s Fête de la Musique, a national musical holiday inaugurated in 1982. 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, Australia, Vietnam, Congo, Cameroon, Fiji, Colombia, Chile, Nepal, and Japan.
Who can participate?
Anyone and everyone, in every borough of the city. Amateurs, part-time professionals, and established artists are all welcome.
How do I sign up to perform / host a concert?
Musicians and locations use our matchmaking tool, hosted on makemusicny.org, to register and make concert arrangements with each other.
Registration for Make Music New York is currently closed. To be notified when registration begins for 2012, please sign up for our email newsletter at the top of this page.
Where do the musicians play?
In a variety of outdoor spaces.
Sidewalks: Most musicians perform on New York’s 12,000 miles of sidewalks. MMNY organizers secure the necessary permits from the City, so that musicians don’t have to deal with the paperwork or pay the fees. If you have a rock band, and you want to set up outside your building and play for your neighbors, we can help make that happen. If you want to perform Bach’s cello suites outside your friend’s convenience store, you can do that, too. Almost anything is possible. To use a sidewalk, you must leave a 5-foot wide path for passers-by, between your concert and the curb. Please choose a space that gives you the room you need.
Community Gardens and Plazas: Some public spaces are privately controlled by community groups, management companies, or individuals. These can be fantastic performance locations, quiet yet accessible. People who control these spaces will make them available on the website.
Streets: Dozens of community organizations close off streets around the city for block party concerts. If your group wishes to produce a concert in the street, you must file an application with your local community board by March 21st. For more details, download our guide, “How To Apply For a Make Music New York Block Party” (pdf). Before submitting an application, please email Aaron Friedman, aaron@makemusicny.org, and briefly describe your plans, so that we can coordinate your event with others in the neighborhood.
Other Spaces: If you want to use some other kind of outdoor location — such as a cemetery, bridge, subway platform, pier, or ferry — send an email to makemusicny@gmail.com with a detailed proposal of what you want to do, and who you have already spoken to at the location. We make no promises, but we’ll see what we can do.
What happens if it rains?
In seven of the past ten years, it has not rained in New York City on June 21st. If it does rain, concerts planned for sidewalks may take place inside a building lobby or store front. In this case, we simply ask that a door or window be opened so that the music is audible from the street. During the sign-up process, locations listed on the website indicate what they can do in case of rain.
Who will provide a stage / backline / tuned grand piano / etc for my concert?
Make Music New York is not a typical music festival. Yes, there are major stages with major artists, but most of it is closer in spirit to Halloween: people getting together in their own neighborhoods, in a do-it-yourself fashion, putting together their own musical events.
Our organizers set up the framework for concerts — the rest is up to you! Artists and locations collaborate to produce the events, find electricity, and provide whatever equipment is needed.
Unlike most music festivals:
- New York City itself is your stage. We’re not constructing stages (though some local promoters are doing so — and securing additional permits as needed). Performances generally take place at the same level as the audience.
- You have complete artistic control. It’s your concert. If you want to perform with a different guitarist than previously announced, or take an extended 20 minute bass solo, you don’t have to ask our permission! (But let us know if we need to update your concert description.)
- Everyone can take part. From professionals to amateurs, from the mainstream to the unfashionably bizarre — if you can find a workable spot for your performance, you can be part of Make Music New York!
How do I sign up to perform with my friends? How do I curate a show with multiple artists?
Great idea! Each artist should sign up separately — we need to have a unique musical description and web address for everyone. Then have each one match themselves to the same location, at different time slots. If the entire program has a particular theme or title, put that in the location’s description box.
How do I register more than one location on the website?
If you manage more than one location that you want to offer to musicians, email makemusicny@gmail.com to request a special multiple-location account. Please include your name and phone number so we can call you to verify details.
What if my band signs up now, and has to back out later?
Once your event is confirmed by your chosen location, and by the Make Music organizers, we will block off your spot and pay for your permits. We are counting on you to perform! If you do need to cancel, it is your responsibility to find another performer to take your spot. Please let the location – and us – know about all program changes ASAP.
What if I play an instrument, but don’t have my own band?
Join one of our “Mass Appeal” events! For the third year, we are organizing hundreds of musicians to band together to perform massive pieces written for a single type of instrument. Each performance works differently, depending on the genre, the instrument, and the location. To learn more, go to our Mass Appeal page.
Will musicians be paid to perform?
Our organization does not pay musicians — nor do musicians pay us. We are simply setting up the framework by securing the permits, coordinating the concerts, and publicizing the event city-wide with tens of thousands of posters, earned media stories, concert listings with our media partners, an interactive website, and a volunteer street-team.
Most musicians perform for free. But artists and venues are welcome to make any financial arrangements they wish, as long as the concerts are outdoors, free, and open to the public.
How late in the evening can my performance go?
If your music is unamplified (meaning that you don’t use any electricity), musicians can perform outside until 10pm. If it’s amplified, it depends on where you are.
As a general rule, amplified performances can go until 9pm. Some neighborhoods cut off sound permits at 8pm; others can go until 10pm; and in some areas, it depends on exactly where the concert will be. Sign up with your preference, and we will let you know what we can do.
How can I close my street for a block party concert?
Dozens of community organizations close off streets around the city for block party concerts. If your group wishes to produce a concert in the street, you must file an application with your local community board by March 21st. For more details, download our guide, “How To Apply For a Make Music New York Block Party” (pdf). Before submitting an application, please email Aaron Friedman, aaron@makemusicny.org, and briefly describe your plans, so that we can coordinate your event with others in the neighborhood.
Can MMNY performers sell CDs, or ask for donations?
Musicians are not allowed to solicit donations, nor can we provide the permits to allow vending at your event. On the other hand, musicians are encouraged to pass out fliers to promote their upcoming shows and recordings, ask listeners to sign their mailing list, and generally promote themselves.
What will MMNY do to help promote my concert?
We list all concerts on the Make Music New York website (with descriptions and artist websites), in the Metro New York newspaper, and in copies of our MMNY program, distributed citywide. Media partners Time Out New York and WNYC drive traffic to our listings. We pitch stories about noteworthy concerts to the press. MMNY Neighborhood Organizers also promote the performances in their area with fliers, posters, postcards, etc.
We are counting on musicians and locations to promote their own shows, in all the ways that they normally would — sending out email blasts, putting notices on websites, calling up all of their friends, etc. Everyone who signs up on our matchmaking website describes what they will do for promotion.
Can I charge admission for a Make Music New York concert?
No.
Can my concert be “invitation only”?
No.
Can I perform outside the five boroughs for MMNY?
No.
Can I create a MMNY event that does not include any live music?
No.
Can I have my event indoors?
Only if it rains (see above).
Is this an annual event?
Yes, Make Music New York takes place every June 21st. (In 2012, it will fall on a Thursday; in 2013, on Friday.) It is our hope that Make Music New York will eventually expand to the point where, as with Halloween, New Yorkers will organize themselves largely without prompting.
Who puts this all together?
Make Music New York, Inc., is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization. The board of directors consists of Aaron Friedman (President), Gerry Catenacci, Lesley DiPietro, Ken Dircks, Sara Mahn, Robert Singerman, Steven Swartz, Chris Tatarowicz, and Michael Urschel. Artistic advisors include Don Byron, John Corigliano, Paquito D’Rivera, Meredith Monk, Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), and Steve Reich. Over 100 volunteer organizers work throughout the city to help recruit musicians and venues, handle permits, and promote the concerts. If you’re interested in joining us, see below!
How can I get involved as a volunteer?
Hundreds of volunteers have come together over the last four years to put on Make Music New York — the largest musical event in NYC history. With your help, we can make it even bigger! Over 100 MMNY Neighborhood Organizers are each needed to inspire and coordinate dozens of MMNY concerts.
To learn more, please download the MMNY Neighborhood Organizer Handbook (pdf). Then email aaron@makemusicny.org to get started!
What else does Make Music New York, Inc. do?
In 2011, Make Music New York launched a winter solstice festival called Make Music Winter, with 12 participatory musical parades on December 21st. The next Make Music Winter will take place on Friday, December 21, 2012. If you have a creative idea for a winter parade that you want to work on, email aaron@makemusicny.org.
Where can I donate to Make Music New York?
We’re glad you asked!
As we expand and transform a four-year event into an annual cultural landmark, we need your support to keep it going. Make Music New York, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; contributions are 100% tax-deductible. Please donate generously: click here.
