Music Will Fill The Air For World Music Day - 21 June

Music will fill the air on World Music Day - the world’s largest annual free music event!

World Music Day (also known as 'Fête de la Musique') is an annual music celebration which takes place every year in cities around the world on June 21, the first day of summer. The idea originated more than 30 years ago by American musician Joel Cohen while working at the national French radio station France Musique. Joel proposed to have music celebrations on both the summer and winter solstices. The French Minister of Culture accepted half of his proposal, and on June 21 1982, the first ‘Fête de la Musique’ was born, fast becoming a national celebration. Now days World Music Day has become an international phenomenon. One important rule is to be followed - the music must be free, bringing the joy of concerts and live music to fans in every corner of the planet. Typically the music is played outdoors, often in the the street, to give access to people of all social backgrounds and includes music of all genres. What better way is there to celebrate the longest day of the year?

Last year there were events in 108 countries and 726 cities around the world (not including France where there were too many events to count!) The statistics are staggering: in total, there are more than 18, 000 concerts around the planet each year, showcasing more than 5 million musicians, to an audience of about 10 million people.

2013 was the first year that the UK made a coordinated contribution towards Music Day, with around 20 events stretching from Belfast to Jersey. However it is believed that this number will grow exponentially in 2015 as 21 June falls on a weekend.

World Music Day is the perfect opportunity to hold musical events in your school or community. Why not spend a few hours having some musical fun and make the most of this fantastic weather by going outside to use your outdoor musical instruments and explore the music from different genres and cultures across the globe.