GREENVILLE—The 2023 Make Music Day Darke County will be a little different this year.
Make Music Day, an international celebration of the Summer Solstice, returns June 21 for Make Music Darke County.
Darke County Center for the Arts (DCCA) will again join other groups in communities around the globe to coordinate an event where anyone can experience the joy of performing music, and where everyone is invited to participate.
Begun in France in 1982 where it has become a national holiday, the “Fete De La Musique” created a music festival featuring free music being performed almost everywhere, with those performing being anyone who wanted to sing or play an instrument regardless of experience or recognized talent.
However, new for 2023, local Katie Gilpin, 25, collaborated with DCCA on the event.
The resident and singer will be the program coordinator for a concert and musical celebration titled We Are All In This Together.
The performance will be inspired by the song of the same name, from the Disney Channel movie High School Musical.
Gilpin, recently met with DCCA Director Andrea Jordan to discuss details of the event.
Gilpin said they invite everyone, from citizens to politicians, business owners and more to participate in the event.
“We’re all in this together,” Communications Connections Coordinator at Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities said. “Everyone of all capabilities can come together and have a good time.”
A client at Darke DD, Gilpin added they’d like the concert to be as inclusive as possible.
Alongside Gilpin, client Sam Ploch will emcee the event for DCCA.
“Katie came up with the concept of using the song,” Huston added. “I thought it was just perfect.”
DCCA is seeking musicians and instrumentalists to participate in Make Music Darke County on June 21 in sites throughout the community, in addition to Gilpin’s concert.
Acts of all skill levels are welcome to sign up for a performance slot; church choirs, vocal quartets, and marching bands as well as groups of office staffs and employees of businesses who would enjoy making music together are invited to perform. If you and/or your group would like to participate in this worldwide festival, send a description of your music, how many people are in your group, your preferred time and location to perform (if there’s a preference) along with any samples you may have of your work to darkecounty@makemusicday.org.
In addition, venues are currently being sought for performances to be staged.
DCCA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to present and promote performing and fine arts encouraging cultural enrichment. To keep this celebration of music free for everyone, donations in support of Make Music Day are also being solicited, and can be sent to Make Music Day Darke County, DCCA, P. O. Box 718, Greenville, OH 45331. For more information, call DCCA at 937-547-0908.
