There’s No Missing Make Music Chicago Tomorrow

By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 20, 2012 8:40PM

Matthew Morgan and the Lost Brigade play at Seneca Playlot at last year's Make Music Chicago. Photo by Lucy Bladwin.

It will be hard to walk around the city tomorrow and not hear music. More than 700 musicians will be performing at 75 different sites throughout the day as part of Make Music Chicago (almost double the size of last year’s inaugural event), and it’s all free.

Starting at 6 a.m. and continuing through midnight, the city’s cultural centers, parks and some unexpected public spaces, from Evanston to the Loop to Hyde Park will be host to performances from musicians of all ages. Jazz, blues, classical, folk, pop, rock and world music are all represented with participants ranging from the Chicago Symphony to local students.

If you’re feeling particularly inspired, you can get in on the action, too with “Sousapalooza” at noon on Daley Plaza. Just bring yourself and an instrument and Director of Bands at Concordia University, Richard Fischer, will lead the impromptu group through some of John Philip Sousa’s well known marches. The event also kicks off Gospel Music Fest at Millennium Park at 6:30 p.m. with a preview of Goodman Theatre’s Crowns followed by a performance from Chicago’s own JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound.

Make Music Chicago is part of a global celebration that takes place in 460 cities across 110 countries, all on June 21. The phenomenon was inspired by the French “Fête de la Musique,” a national music holiday that began in 1982. With our recent heat wave set to break tomorrow, it will be a great day to get out of the office and take in the arts. For the full schedule of performances, where you can search performers and sort by neighborhood, time and site, visit makemusicchicago.com. And if you can’t make it out, 98.7-FM WFMT will be broadcasting live from select sites throughout the day.