Make Music Winter Aims to Warm Your Heart This December
Make Music Winter is a free, outdoor music-making celebration turning audiences into music makers. On the shortest day of the year, December 21, music can be heard throughout the streets of New York City and in an additional 40 participating cities throughout America. The cold-weather counterpart to Make Music Day (annually held each June 21), Make Music Winter began in New York City in 2011 and quickly spread to include 40 cities across the country and one international location in the last eight years. Make Music Winter is sponsored by The NAMM Foundation and coordinated by the Make Music Alliance.
A highlight of particular interest to the vast New York City lineup is the “Jingle Train”, a trolley featuring six different bands that will be touring Harlem and El Barrio. Featuring every genre from brass bands, jazz, Gospel, reggae, soul, and salsa the Jingle Train draws from the rich music roots of Harlem and offers riders an ever-rotating musical experience. In addition to experiencing the diverse musical selections, passengers will also be provided with free hand-held Jingle Taps and other percussion instruments courtesy of Rhythm Band Instruments to become active participants.
The festivity doesn’t end in the boroughs of New York. NAMM Member, The Candyman Strings & Things out of Santa Fe, New Mexico will host a family-friendly event complete with free rhythm shakers to play while singing along to classic Christmas Carols all served up with some delicious winter refreshments. While some will be enjoying the cool winter nights in Santa Fe, others are encouraged to visit the newest Fox Music House location in North Charleston, South Carolina on the winter solstice. This NAMM Member will be welcoming winter with day long events for musicians of all ages and abilities, including free concerts, instructor guided lessons, and a drum circle around the first.
Participating cities include Boston (MA), Charleston (SC), Chattanooga (TN), Chicago (IL), Columbus (OH), Crystal Lake (IL), Folsom (PA), Issaquah (WA), Land O Lakes (WI), Litchfield (CT), Macon (GA), Madison (WI), Meridian (ID), Montclair (NJ), Mystic (CT), New Haven (CT), New London (CT), New York (NY), Ossining (NY), Philadelphia (PA), Port Townsend (WA), Provo (UT), Salem (OR), Santa Fe (NM), Southlake (TX), St. Louis (MO), Tucson (AZ), Worcester (MA), Hartford (CT), Pittsburg (PA), Waterbury (CT), Long Beach (CA), Pasadena (CA), Amityville (NY), Spokane (WA), Palm Desert (CA), Hartford (CT), and internationally, Perth, Australia.
For more information about Make Music Winter please visit makemusicwinter.org. Follow the conversation on social media with #MakeMusicWinter.