On the first day of summer, instead of the usual din of car horns, alarms and such, every corner of New York City will be overtaken by a different kind of noise – Music. This year on June 21^st, over 1,000 free outdoor concerts will take place in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island through Make Music New York (MMNY). Ever since Founder Aaron Friedman created Make Music New York in 2002, thousands of musicians from all walks of life have gathered in public spaces to perform in this extraordinary daylong celebration.

Make Music New York pays homage to France’s national music holiday “Fête de la Musique,” which started in 1982. Since then, this communal act of public music making has become an international phenomenon and is simultaneously celebrated in 110 countries. But what makes MMNY extra special is that it draws upon our City’s rich store of cultural and artistic diversity. Take a glance through MMNY’s activities and special events. It’s a musical world tour in every sense!

We especially love the Mass Appeal concerts for their grand scale and unique offerings (i.e. Cast Iron Buildings, Bagpipes, Ouds, Humming and Veenas). And speaking of Veenas, 2009 Composer-in-Residence Nivedita ShivRaj will be leading the Ragachitra Veena Ensemble in a performance of traditional carnatic music at the Flushing Library Plaza at 5pm.

There is too much going on to list here, so take a look at MMNY’s schedule and make as many events as you can! Thank you Aaron for being a visionary and creating this remarkable yearly event. (And don’t forget, there’s also Make Music Winter. So stay tuned.)