Welcome to Make Music Day South Africa!

It all started about 40 years ago in France. In 1982, Jack Lang and his staff at the Ministry of Culture began working toward creating a new kind of musical holiday. Their dream was to create a musical holiday where free, wonderful musical experiences were accessible to everyone.

The event took place on the summer solstice, June 21, and was Fête De La Musique. (In French, the name means both “festival of music” and “make music”.)

The Fête has turned into a true national holiday: Paris shuts down on the summer solstice and musicians take over. Almost 8% of the country (5 million people) have played an instrument or sung in public for the Fête de la Musique, and 64% of the country (43 million people) comes out each year to listen.

Unlike most formal music events Make Music Day is open to anyone. No matter your skill level or what kind of music you play, you are welcome!

At Make Music South Africa we are a group of people passionate about making and sharing music in all its forms. As such, we coordinate an annual celebration of all things musical. Our mission is to bring communities together through an annual musical celebration, fostering creativity, collaboration, and cultural exchange. Join us in celebrating the beauty and diversity of music in South Africa and around the world!

Music events can take place in a variety of settings, from a major concert hall to a home garden.  Make Music Day South Africa welcomes musicking in all its diversity. We welcome musical contributions by amateur and professional musicians and organisations. The most important characteristic of a Make Music Day event is that it is free and accessible.