Make Music Day UK

The British National Music Day was the idea of The Rolling Stones' musician Mick Jagger and Tim Renton MP, the at the time Minister of State for the Arts,{{Cite web|url=https://archive.list.co.uk/the-list/1992-06-19/29/|title=The List: 19 Jun 1992|date=1992-06-19|website=The List Archive|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-04-06}} and launched on 12 February 1992 at a press conference at the Royal Festival Hall, in London, with event Chairman Harvey Goldsmith and Jagger.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzentgraf.de/books/tcw/1992.htm|title=The Rolling Stones Complete Works database 1992|website=www.nzentgraf.de|access-date=2020-04-06}} The first event took place on 28 June 1992, with a programme of more than 1,500 events across the United Kingdom.

The first event was supported by the Musicians' Union (United Kingdom), with 50 of its branches taking part, and small grants were made available by the European Commission for local events with a budget of less than £10,000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.muhistory.com/contact-us/1991-2000/|title=1991-2000 – The Musicians' Union: A History (1893-2013)|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-06}} The National Music Day Foundation was created to support the events, chaired by Goldsmith, with trustees including Baron Armstrong of Ilminster.{{Cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1994-01-12/debates/af32e827-a0e2-4a47-98ef-bcc87d140c22/Quangos?highlight=national%20music%20day#contribution-53d26938-869d-4afa-a811-b6f2f06ece26|title=Quangos - Hansard|website=hansard.parliament.uk|access-date=2020-04-06}} To mark the launch Glastonbury Festival, which was taking place on the same weekend, was linked to National Music Day.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/history/history-1992/|title=Glastonbury Festival - 1992|last=Digital|first=Pretty Good|website=Glastonbury Festival - 21st-25th June, 2017|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-06}} BBC Radio 1 hosted a National Music Day Roadshow in Glasgow.{{Cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/99efed6ec6174d34971070e70b50e8f0|title=National Music Day Roadshow|date=1992-06-25|work=The Radio Times|access-date=2020-04-07|issue=3574|pages=84|language=en-GB|issn=0033-8060}} Richard Allinson won a Gold at Radio Academy Awards for his coverage of the first event on BBC Radio 2,{{Cite journal|last=Press Office|first=BBC|date=4 October 2003|title=BBC Radio 2 Live in Newcastle|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/09_september/03/radio2_newcastle.pdf|journal=BBC Press Pack|pages=12}} which was part of a 15-hour day of broadcasts to mark the occasion, with shows also presented by Ken Bruce.{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio2/1992-06-28|title=BBC Radio 2 - 28 June 1992 - BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|access-date=2020-04-06}}

In 1993, the event became two days,{{Cite web|url=http://bufvc.ac.uk/tvandradio/lbc/index.php/segment/0003600357002|title=National music day opens in central London · British Universities Film & Video Council|website=bufvc.ac.uk|access-date=2020-04-06}} taking place on 26 and 27 June.{{Cite web|url=https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/5251/national-music-day-no-2|title=NATIONAL MUSIC DAY (No. 2) - Early Day Motions|website=edm.parliament.uk|access-date=2020-04-06}} It was launched at Hard Rock Cafe, London, by Peter Brooke, Baron Brooke of Sutton Mandeville and Right Said Fred.{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/national-music-day-1497919.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/national-music-day-1497919.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=National Music Day|date=1993-03-16|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-04-06}} More 1,100 live events took place across the country. A live broadcast by MCM Networks, and sponsored by Coca-Cola, linked 41 Independent Local Radio stations with venues, and went on to win gold at the Radio Academy Awards for Outstanding Special Event.{{Cite news|last=McGeever|first=Mike|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-05-08.pdf|title=Indie Radio Wins Top Sony Radio Awards, BBC Wins Majority|date=8 May 1993|work=Music&Media|access-date=6 April 2020}} Buzzcocks performed a live version of their song "Lipstick" on BBC Radio 1 that was later released on a BBC Sessions album by the band in 1997.{{Cite web|url=https://www.buzzcocks.com/bbc-sessions|title=BBC Sessions|website=Buzzcocks|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-06}}

The event's third rendition took place on 26 June 1994, and was again marked with a day of broadcasts on BBC Radio 2. Arts Council England awarded £40,000 in grants.{{Cite web|url=https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/The%20Arts%20Council%20of%20England%20Annual%20Report%201994-95.pdf|title=Arts Council England, Annual Report 1994-95|page=72}}

In 1995, BBC coverage of the event continued, which included a special edition of Songs of Praise from Pebble Mill, in Birmingham.{{Cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e7a808cd1afa4f84a655bd287768cb8e|title=National Music Day|date=1995-06-22|work=The Radio Times|access-date=2020-04-07|issue=3727|pages=120|language=en-GB|issn=0033-8060}}

The fifth event took place on 30 June 1996, and coincided with the UEFA Euro 1996 Final.{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199596/ldhansrd/vo960131/text/60131-01.htm|title=Lords Hansard text for 31 Jan 1996 (160131-01)|website=publications.parliament.uk|access-date=2020-04-06}} It was now chaired by record producer Keith Lowde, and renamed the National Music Festival. 2,300 events were held, attended by an estimated 3,700,000 people, it is thought that many of these were pre-existing events that would have taken place anyway.{{Cite web|url=https://epdf.pub/joining-in-investigation-into-participatory-music-in-the-uk.html|title=Joining in: Investigation into Participatory Music in the UK - PDF Free Download|website=epdf.pub|language=en|access-date=2020-04-07}}{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/NewsUK1996UKEnglish|title=The Times , 1996, UK, English|date=1996|language=en}} It was reported that the event had "largely failed to capture the public imagination".{{Cite magazine|last=Clark-Meads|first=Jeff |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zg4EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22national+music+day%22+%221996%22&pg=PA77|title=Brit Awards Land A Gov't Minister|magazine=Billboard|date=1996-01-13|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|language=en}} Lowde said, in an unpublished interim report for the Foundation:

Whilst finding favour with a large number of event organisers, many of whom were novices, the concept failed to capture the imagination of the professional music industry, sponsors and the media. The perceived image of the " – Day" became generally Middle England, Middle of the Road and Middle Aged.

Despite the event losing cultural significance, it was held again in 1997, with the date moving to August. The List, while reviewing France's National Music Day, reported that the UK efforts had failed to catch-on.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.list.co.uk/the-list/1997-06-13/53/|title=The List: 13 Jun 1997|date=1997-06-13|website=The List Archive|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-04-06}}

In May 2000, BBC Music Live organised a five-day namesake event "National Music Festival" which culminated in a 24-hour broadcast on a bank holiday, Monday 29 May.{{Cite book|last=Oliver|first=Sandra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AOB-AgAAQBAJ&q=%22national+music+festival%22+++%221997%22&pg=PA261|title=A Handbook of Corporate Communication and Public Relations|date=2004-04-22|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-31448-5|language=en}}

In 2012, Music Day UK was formed and was both the name of the renewed event, and the organisation that had been coordinating UK events since 2012. Make Music Day UK became an independent organization in 2022.{{cite web | title=Make Music Around the World | website=Make Music Day | date=17 October 2023 | url=https://www.makemusicday.org/make-music-around-the-world/ | access-date=22 October 2023}} The event is based on the now international Make Music Day concept, begun in France in 1982. All events take place on 21 June (the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere), and all events are free and accessible to the general public.{{cite web | title=Home | website=Make Music Day | date=19 January 2023 | url=https://makemusicday.co.uk/ | access-date=22 October 2023}}{{cite web | title=About Make Music | website=Make Music Day | date=26 July 2023 | url=https://www.makemusicday.org/about/ | access-date=22 October 2023}}

• Gloria Hunniford and Matthew Kelly present Opera Singalong, live from the Royal Albert Hall.{{Cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4de0c05037934e7eb51eaf80d95b367c|title=It's National Music Day III!|date=1994-06-23|work=The Radio Times|access-date=2020-04-06|issue=3676|pages=100|language=en-GB|issn=0033-8060}}
• At London's Hammersmith Odeon, 30 June 1993, an event called "A Celebration of the Blues"{{Cite book|last=Gregory|first=Andy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gZIjT8PgJMEC&q=%22national+music+day%22&pg=PA502|title=The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002|date=2002|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-1-85743-161-2|pages=253|language=en}} featured Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, Jimmy Rogers,{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/jagger-sings-the-blues-1078429.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/jagger-sings-the-blues-1078429.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Jagger sings the blues|date=1999-03-05|first=Pierre|last=Perrone|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-04-07}} the Charlie Watts Quintet, Gary Moore and Pops Staples.{{cite web|url=https://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=354665|title=The Rolling Stones A Celebration Of The Blues UK tour programme|website=eil.com|access-date=2023-05-14}}

A number of events that were organised as part of National Music Day continued to run for many years after the national effort ceased to continue. They include:

• Leigh Folk Festival, in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex{{Cite web|url=https://leighfolkfestival.com/our-history/|title=Leigh Folk Festival {{!}} Our History|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-04-07}}
• Pulham Music Day{{Cite web|url=http://www.pulhammusicday.co.uk/|title=Pulham Music Day|website=www.pulhammusicday.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-04-06}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official|https://www.makemusicday.org/make-music-around-the-world/|Make Music Day UK}}

Category:Music festivals in England