Here at Together TV we recognise the importance that music has on all our lives; it is a great source of comfort and joy for many in these unprecidented times. For this reason, we are delighted to be supporting Make Music Day UK on Sunday 21st June! World Make Music Day is celebrated in 125 countries around the world; highlighting the brilliant diversity of musical styles and genres which are enjoyed globally. With a wealth of musical talent here in Great Britain, the Make Music Day UK team have handpicked a number of brilliant artists from across the country to give socially-distanced performances and unique workshops in a special 12 hour live stream this Sunday; we can't wait!

 

Who is performing and what are the workshops about?

There will be a number of fantastic artists performing and providing workshops this year, covering a variety of different genres. Here are some of the highlights you can expect on the day:

– Take part in a singing lesson with Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas

– Hear folk tales from former BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician Of The Year Sam Sweeney

– Enjoy BBC a legendary DJ set from Radio 1’s Arielle Free

– Catch live sets from alt folk duo Wilswood Buoys, Spanish-Latin guitar duo De Fuego, songwriter and award nominated artist Emma McGann and indie band Small Screen plus a showcase of music from Plugged, Renegade Picnic and the National Youth Folk Ensemble

– Get an introduction to Indian Takeaway: Rāg and Tāl basics with Indian music specialist Yogesh Dattani in partnership with the ISM Trust

– Enjoy performances from Glasgow musicians as part of UNESCO Musical Cities programme in partnership with Glasgow Life

– Watch a special edition of the hugely popular Sofa Singers online singing event bringing together hundreds of people from around the world in real-time to sing ‘Easy’ by Lionel Richie’s band, Commodores

– Experience Northern Ireland’s Beyond Skin who use music, arts and new media to bridge cultural divides will showcase a plethora of multicultural collaborations and performances from artists as from across Northern Ireland, USA, Palestine and Japan

– Learn how to sing Global Song Circle’s June song with Thina Singumlilo Ovuthayo, as part of Global Days of Unity, also celebrated on 21 June.

 

Why is Make Music Day UK so important?

In these challenging times, the many benefits of music are as valuable as ever. Whilst Make Music Day UK won't be celebrated as normal with live events across the country, these digital performances still aim to keep the spirit of World Music Day alive and well. Chair of Make Music Day UK, Barbara Eifler, confirmed that "the response to this year's Make Music Day has demonstrated just how important music is to us all. As it has done for the last three years, music will fill the air in communities across the country on the 21st June."

 

How can I watch or get involved? 

The Make Music Day 12 hour broadcast will be live-streamed and available to watch on the Make Music Day UK Facebook page, and shared to the Together TV Facebook pagewhere you can also tune in with us! The stream begins at 10am on Sunday 21st June.

If you want to share your own musical talent, you can enter the Bring Me Sunshine Competition. Simply post your own cover version of the classic song Bring Me Sunshine to Facebook, Twitter on Instagram on Sunday 21st June using the hashtags #MakeMusicDayUK and #MySunshine. The entries will be judged by a number of supporting organisations, including Make Music Day UK and us here at Together TV! The winner will receive the brilliant prize of a £150 voucher for musicroom.com. To find out more, check out the competition details here.

 

We can't wait for you to join us for Make Music Day UK this Sunday 21st June from 10am!

 

If a day full of music isn't so appealing to you, don't worry, we have plenty of other hobbies to keep you busy this weekend! Check our our Unlock Your New Hobby quiz to discover new past-times to keep you active, and join our Together For Good community to connect with fellow gardnerers, bakers, crafters, readers and more.