June 21 – Music Day. Based on the original French idea, the event, which turns 40 in 2023, quickly spread first in Europe and then around the world.
Every year on June 21, the streets of European cities sound with musical melodies of all stripes. Amateurs, professionals, bands, soloists, classical, rock, jazz, rap… the music festival invites amateurs and professionals from all over the world to perform for free on the summer solstice in front of the general public. Innovative, “old-fashioned” or even “weird” genres: they are all accepted this evening, which will last until the early hours of June 22.
The event was officially organized in France in 1983 by Maurice Fleur, Director of Music and Dance, at the suggestion of Jack Lang, then French Minister of Culture. The desire for a popular celebration around music stems from the observation that paid concerts are often reserved for the elite.
The event quickly spread across Europe, starting with Belgium in 1984 and then during the European year dedicated to music in 1985. In the same year, Athens, the first European capital of culture, was chosen to open the Europeanization event, which is also taking place. in Barcelona, Cyprus, Hamburg, Luxembourg, Madrid, Malta and Rome. And even outside Europe, for example, in Hong Kong, Moscow and Singapore.
In 1997, the charter of the European Music Festival was signed in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, by all cities wishing to take part. It sets the rules and principles for all cities and countries that would like to import this concept.
In the same year, an international association of European music festivals was created, the main mission of which is to support the mobility of artists, as well as the exchange of cultures and techniques. Still in its infancy in some European countries, the activities of French associations and institutions play an important role in its dissemination.
This event takes the form of major local events in each of the countries or in each of the partner communities and aims to promote multi-stakeholder meetings between European musicians.
