Author: Paula Hinz, Alliance Française de Buffalo
On the Summer Solstice, what do you traditionally do? If you live in France, or any of over 100 countries around the world that celebrate Fête de la Musique, Make Music Day, you would be engaged in performing music, listening to music or both. This year you won’t have to leave Buffalo to enjoy Fête de la Musique, it’s here!
Buffalo joins nearly 700 cities worldwide celebrating the Festival of Music. Originating in Paris in 1982, Fête de la Musique is celebrated on the 21st of June, the Summer Solstice, with a mission of igniting music interest in amateurs and professionals alike. Make Music Day not only encourages music for all, the music is provided gratis, that’s free, my friends! This festival is typically celebrated outdoors, due to summer’s warm temperatures, but can be inside as well. This festival honors an overall mission of connecting people to music. What’s not to love!
This is actually Buffalo’s second year celebrating Fête de la Musique. In 2014, Alliance Française de Buffalo, a non-profit organization that promotes French language and culture, sponsored Fête de la Musique at Pausa in Allentown. This year’s Alliance Française sponsored event will be held at The Colored Musicians Club, 145 Broadway Street from 3-6pm on the 21st of June. The show will kick-off with ‘Buffalo Belles Jazz Quartet’ which features Maggie Roston, a musician with international acclaim playing with reggae, jazz and Creole groups. Le Quatuor Guignols with Marc Cousins, bass, Andy Peruzzini, trumpet, Andreas Mathieu Kunz, soprano saxophone and Bernard Kunz, on guitar follow from 4-5pm. Wrapping up Sunday’s concert will be more jazz by GRÜVOLOGY with Walter Kemp, piano, Bernard Kunz, guitar, James Benders, bass, and David Teaspoon Hulett on drums from 5-6pm.
The Colored Musicians Club will have beverages, wine and food available for purchase. Under the guidelines of Fête de la Musique, admission is free. (Donations are accepted, of course.) While you are at the Colored Musicians Club, visit the Museum downstairs. It offers interactive displays to learn about featured instruments, their sounds and the people who played them while on tour in Buffalo.
Be a part of a global celebration with Alliance Française at the Fête de la Musique.
And next year? Why not perform.
For more information: www.afbuffalo.org | email: info@afbuffalo.org | Facebook: Make Music Buffalo