About
What is Make Music Hartford?
Make Music Hartford is a part of the international Make Music Day movement which brings free, community-wide, outdoor musical celebrations to hundreds of cities worldwide! Every year, the celebration is held on June 21, the summer solstice, in more than 1,000 communities around the world.
Make Music Hartford will feature musicians of all abilities and music from any genre. Sidewalks, parks, front porches, and public spaces throughout the city, as well as virtual spaces, will become stages for local musicians to perform and for all to enjoy. Everyone is invited to participate in this international day of music by performing, providing an outdoor space, appreciating, or volunteering. It’s all for the love of music!
Participate
Make Music Hartford 2023
Make Music Day was founded on the notion that music has the power to bring people together. In times joy and hardship, both active and passive participation in music is healing and celebratory.
To participate in Make Music Day as either a performer or a host, visit our Matchmaking Site to create your profile. There you will be able to select details such as genre preference, time frame, and electrical needs. Venues – Please only register a venue if you are the venue’s representative. Performers – after your performer profile has been set up, you can search for participating venues and send them requests to play.
Promotional Tips
5 tips for sharing your Make Music Hartford performance with the world!
- Post the event to your website. Add Make Music Hartford to:
- Your event calendar
- Website banner
- Facebook cover photo
- Anywhere else you can promote your participation
- Send e–blasts. Send event information to everyone on your mailing list
- Let them know that you’re participating in Make Music Hartford
- You can use this line: “Make Music Hartford is a one day, free celebration of music taking place in Hartford and around the world on June 21st. Learn more at www.makemusicday.org/hartford “
- Set up a Facebook event. Invite everyone you know!
- Create a title that describes your event. Example: “The John Doe Trio at Best Restaurant for Make Music Hartford”
- Add the official Make Music Hartford website to your event description: makemusicday.org/hartford
- Share posts on social media using hashtags. Social media is a great way to get the word out!
- Share how you’re preparing for Make Music Hartford. We’d love to share rehearsal videos from musicians or restaurants planning their cocktails for the Cocktail Trail!
- Use the hashtags #makemusichartford and #makemusicday
- Use our Poster Generator.
Listings
2023 Listings: Wednesday, June 21st
Gallery
Special thanks to the volunteer photographers who helped capture Make Music Hartford in photos and videos:
- Denis Semenyaka
- Dana Lynne Montanari
- Ron White
- Ray Shaw
- Andres Calixto
- Dwight Hatch
- Evan Thomas
- Haley Comstock
- Heather Martin
- Joseph Engberg
- Steve Carlsberg
Blog
-
Scott’s Jamaican Bakery: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
“We bake with love” is the motto for Scotts’ Jamaican Bakery. What more could you ask for in a longtime local business? For over 40 years, the Scott family bakery has been a staple in capital region cuisine with what started with one flagship bakery that expanded into three total branches. It only made sense toContinue…
-
Nelson Bello: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Nelson Bello has certainly made the rounds. As an alumnus of both the original Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and a student of Jackie McLean, Nelson has made a career out of collaborating. In addition to being an active recording artist, he serves as both accompanist and bandleader in several groups in the regionalContinue…
-
Kirk Woodard: Faces of Make Music Hartford
If you’ve made it out to Black-Eyed Sally’s for a Jazz Monday, chances are you’ve seen Kirk play. If you’ve attended events with a jazz trio, your chances are even higher. Essentially, Kirk is one of Hartford’s go-to drummers for all things jazz. Having just graduated from The Hartt School’s inaugural Master of Music inContinue…
-
CO:LAB: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Hartford is full of individuals who have their hands in many pots – Rich Hollant and Zoe Chatfield of CO:LAB are just a couple of them. Almost immediately upon moving their brand communications firm from a Parkville loft to the former Goodwin branch of the Hartford Public Library, they opened Free Center, an event space housed within CO:LABContinue…
-
Savana Jones: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Savana Jones lives for movement. As a dancer, choreographer, teaching artist, and avid live music fan, Savana is well versed in the language of the performing arts. Don’t miss her one-of-a-kind collaboration with a live funk band on Make Music Day for “No Mercy,” a heart-pounding, foot-stomping hip-hop class of raw adrenaline at Arroyo RecreationContinue…
-
Dan Deutsch: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
In addition to being the Marketing & Communications Manager here at the Arts Council, Dan serves on the Make Music Hartford Planning Committee. As a musician, he was eager to step up and take on planning work to help make MMH even bigger and better. However, you won’t be seeing him onstage come June 21Continue…
-
Steve Cusano: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Local musician and entrepreneur Stephen Cusano has made a name for himself, both on and off the kit. In addition to playing drums for multiple bands, Cusano is the founder and owner of Parkville Sounds, a one-stop shop for musicians, students, and recording artists who need everything from a studio to rental equipment. Last year,Continue…
-
Thien Nguyen: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Thien Nguyen is a walking (and cycling) encyclopedia of all things local. As a frequent user of public transit, Thien knows the ins and outs of the capital city. He also happens to be a consumer and lover of art and culture. As an ideas person, he immediately came to the table with excitement andContinue…
-
Charmagne Glass-Tripp: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
If you’ve been even remotely aware of the Hartford music scene for the past couple of decades, you’ve heard of Charmagne Glass-Tripp. In addition to being an in-demand, Grammy-winning vocalist, Charmagne is passionate about social justice and animal rights. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with her on one of our Neighborhood MusicContinue…
-
Megan Fitzgerald: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Megan Fitzgerald’s love of the arts runs deep. As a music lover and media professional, Megan’s life both revolves around and is surrounded by arts and culture. As someone who had already worked on Make Music Day in a different city, Megan was consistently bursting with ideas on who we absolutely had to work withContinue…
-
Sophie Huget: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Imagine the millions of ball bearings that allow countless machinery to run smoothly, or Stanley Black & Decker, the multi-billion dollar corporation with humble beginnings as Stanley Works…where did it all start? New Britain, Connecticut! New Britain Industrial Museum Executive Director Sophie Huget can tell you about the ins and outs of New Britain’s five major industriesContinue…
-
Dylan Healy: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Dylan Healy lives and breathes the arts. He is all at once a musician, booking manager, promoter, record label owner, photographer, and much more. Dylan is certainly a jack of all trades, which is what made him such a great collaborator on our MMH Planning Committee…even if he plays annoying instruments. What is your instrument(s)? If notContinue…
-
DJ Soul Selektah: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
James Johnson (aka DJ Soul Selektah): Builder, Living Space Renovator, Community Organizer, House Music DJ. James’ passion for building that which is both concrete and abstract made him a great fit for our first Make Music Hartford Planning Committee! In addition, he’ll be leading a DJ Showcase on Make Music Day. What is your instrument(s)?Continue…
-
Ashley Floyd: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Honk if you like Hip-Hop! Ashley Floyd is no stranger to amplifying local artists. Not only will she be hosting the Hip-Hop Cypher spotlight event, but you might get a chance to spit a verse for “Lyrics in da V,” a lyrical talent showcase she hosts in her car. What is your instrument(s)? If notContinue…
-
Dwight Hatch: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
Take one look at Dwight Hatch’s photography, and you’ll see he has a keen eye for his environment. He contributed many of the pictures you’ve seen us using for MMH promotion this year, and he’ll be back, traversing our city blocks and parks, documenting the various happenings just one week from today! In this interview, heContinue…
-
Amanda Roy: Faces of #MakeMusicHartford
We’ve had the honor of collaborating with countless hard-working individuals and organizations this year, and we wanted to take the next few weeks to highlight the work they’ve done not only for MMH, but for the Greater Hartford community as well. In these interviews you’ll learn a little bit about their connection to the arts,Continue…
-
Join the national band exchange: Bands Undercover
On June 21st, bands around the world will take to the streets to cover each other’s music and live stream their shows in a unique musical conversation called Bands Undercover. All creators of original music are welcome — from solo singer-songwriters and electronic music producers, to metal bands, brass ensembles, choirs or traditional folk instruments.Continue…
-
Make Music Hartford: Winter Edition
The weather outside was a little frightful, but the small and mighty crowds that gathered for our CityPlace Caroling and Winter Solstice Jazz Trail kept up the holiday cheer! As the windy rain toppled umbrellas on an unseasonably warm Winter Solstice, The Music Moves Hartford Downtown Singers filled the CityPlace Lobby with song as theyContinue…
Press
Hartford Courant: “Sounds of summer: Hartford’s Make music 2019 celebration had the city singing” (June 21, 2019)
WTNH: “Make Music Hartford Bigger Than Ever ” (June 20, 2019)
Hartford Courant: “Make Music Hartford Celebrating the winter solstice with parade, concerts, drink specials at area bars” (December 17, 2018)
National Make Music Winter Press Release: “Make Music Winter to Expand Nationwide This December 21” (October 17, 2018)
Hartford Courant: “Hartford Joins Global Make Music Day with Concerts Around the City” (June 21, 2018)
Hartford Courant: “Music to Fill the Streets as Connecticut Joins Global Make Music Day” (June 18, 2018)
USA Today: “Where to Celebrate Make Music Day Across the Country” (June 15, 2018)
Patch: “Free Concerts Set for Make Music Day in West Hartford” (June 15, 2018)
Billboard Magazine: “Make Music Day To Return This Summer With More Than 4,500 Concerts” (April 4, 2018)
Rolling Stone:“‘Make Music Day’ Plots 4,500 Free Events, Concerts Nationwide” (April 3, 2018)
National Make Music Day Press Release: “Make Music Day 2018 Returns On Thursday, June 21” (March 28, 2018)
Hartford Courant: “Connecticut to Join Global Make Music Day” (March 14, 2018)
WILI 95.3 FM, Windham Arts Radio Review: Interview with Aaron Friedman of the Make Music Alliance (February 28, 2018)
Make Music Alliance: “Media Resources”
Contact
Get in touch with us at hartford@makemusicday.org