WollCon’s ‘Make Music Day’ an international exchange of song and live local music.
Held annually on 21 June, Make Music Day is a daylong, world-wide celebration of music in all its forms, and encourages people (both amateur and professional players) to band together and play in free public concerts.
Presented in Australia by the Australian Music Association and the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Foundation, Make Music Day performances can take place anywhere, including churches, community centres, libraries, shopping centres and outdoor spaces.
WollCon Drum Teacher Alex Masso is also the Executive Officer at the Australian Music Association (AMA), working on national and international projects for Make Music Day.
“One of the international projects ‘Make Music, Make Friends’ involves connecting primary school children (aged 7-13) from around the world in an online space, exposing children to different regions and cultures. We’re trialling this project for this year and most of the Australian schools involved are in Wollongong.”
“It is fantastic for our primary school bands, to see kids just like them, from all around the world making music together in the same way we do here in Wollongong. I’m doing this virtual exchange project with music students from our In School Program, from Mt St Thomas, Thirroul, Figtree, Bulli, Keiraville, Berry, Mt Brown and Coledale Public Schools.”
LOCAL LIVE EVENTS
As an organisation whose core business is in making music on a daily basis, WollCon has been planning some local live events for June 21st for the Illawarra to celebrate Make Music Australia Day.
All events are FREE and support WollCon’s vision of ‘Positive Change Through Music’.
WOLLONGONG CBD – AMPHITHEATRE
Live@Lunch with Jazz (12-2pm) – WollCon Alumni Jazz Musicians Sarah Purdon (trumpet) and Toby Dunan (drums) with Sydney Bassist Sabine Tabia.
MEAT & GRAIN STEAKHOUSE (cnr Crown & Kembla streets)
WollCon Jazz Alumni Super Group will perform from 5-7pm. This 5 piece band features some of the best of the best musicians to come out of the WollCon Jazz Program in the past 10 years (Cailey Mei Soon, Sarah Purdon, Toby Dunan, Harley Coleman and Dave Quinn).
POT OF GOLD MEXICAN CANTINA (Crown St Mall)
The Lucy Clifford Trio (pictured below) featuring Freyja Garbett & Jodie Michael (7-9pm). A rare opportunity to see 3 of the most prominent young women on the Australian jazz scene (all WollCon Alumni) come together to jam out a mix of FREE funk and jazz.
WOLLONGONG CBD – GLOBE LANE
Our WollCon community musicians (Minor Swing Band and CROW) will perform outdoors in Globe Lane (Opposite La La La’s) from 6:30pm. Led by WollCon staff David Rooney, Mark Holder-Keeping, Jenn Cook and Callum Burns.
