An international harmony

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

Thousands of cities across 120 countries will join together on Make Music Day, Friday, June 21, celebrating humanity’s shared love of music with free concerts and lessons. This will be Sandpoint’s first year participating in the global harmony, and stages and street corners across town will ring out with live music from local professionals, students and fans.

A gathering of ukulele players in Raleigh, N.C. celebrate Make Music Day in 2023. Courtesy photo.

“Music enriches our lives and brings us together in a very human way. I’m just taking a risk to try and launch this in a new community where it hasn’t been done before,” said event organizer and life-long musician Gary Perless, whose love of music inspired him to learn guitar, piano, bass, drums and harmonica, as well as teach.

“There’s a feeling of inspiration and solidarity because it’s not just a local music celebration — or national — it’s international,” he said.

Make Music Day began more than 42 years ago as Fête De La Musique in France, but hopped the pond 25 years later, becoming a smash hit in New York and eventually spreading to the West Coast. Nearly 120 cities in the U.S. hosted 4,791 free concerts in 2023 alone, according to makemusicday.org.

During a time of intense conflict and political division, Perless believes it’s more important than ever to celebrate our connection to one another through music.

“It’s about bringing world peace through music, so that we’re all a little part of the solution,” he said. “For thousands of years people have gathered together in little rooms to make music and no one was pushed away because they didn’t know how. This gives us a means to come together. It’s good medicine.”

Local events run from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Evans Brothers Coffee (524 Church St.); noon to 4:30 p.m. at Cedar St. Bridge; 1 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. at the Little Carnegie Theater (110 Main Street); 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Matchwood Brewing Company (513 Oak St.); and outside of Fiddlin’ Red’s Music (111 Church St.), beginning at noon. Times are subject to change.

Musicians will play a wide variety of instruments in genres including rock, jazz, classical, gospel and singer-songwriter — and everyone, regardless of their musical background, is invited to participate by listening, dancing or playing along. Bring your own instrument or borrow one and perform on the sidewalk or ask to join ongoing shows.

Every show is free and family friendly, but kids will be especially excited about the 4 p.m. harmonica lesson and performance on Matchwood’s outdoor stage. The Make Music Day Alliance provided organizers with plenty of sheet music and 30 free harmonicas to hand out, so everyone can feel included and learn to play this beginner-friendly instrument.

The entire family is welcome to stop by before dinner and participate.

“There’s more music to listen to than ever before in history, but what’s becoming more rare is actually making music, so we want to keep that alive. Everyone who’s interested should come, you don’t have to be a pro. The idea is people are free to walk up and say, ‘Hey, can I join you?’”

To donate time, money, talent or instruments — or to help ensure Make Music Day becomes an annual event in Sandpoint — email [email protected]. 

Visit makemusicday.org/sandpoint for a full schedule.