On June 21, 2025, thousands of voices across the globe joined in harmony to mark Make Music Day, an annual worldwide celebration of music and community. This year’s festivities spanned more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries and featured a bold new initiative titled “Taking Flight,” an interactive choral program that embodied the day’s spirit of inclusivity and participation.
Led by Toronto-based venue Hugh’s Room Live, “Taking Flight” was designed to bring singers of all skill levels together in real time, across borders, to learn and perform a song in multi-part harmony. The initiative emphasized musical unity and community engagement, with each participating location selecting songs that aligned with the “Taking Flight” theme—whether literally, metaphorically, or emotionally.
The concept was simple yet powerful: gather amateur and professional singers at local venues, teach them a choral arrangement of a selected song, and perform it as part of a synchronized international event. At a designated hour, performances were livestreamed, connecting singers from Connecticut to Cape Town, Madison to Manchester, and Toronto to Istanbul. Each community’s rendition became part of a global tapestry of sound, with the event culminating in a collective performance of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” a song that embodies optimism and resilience.
In the United States, participants came together at locations like the Audubon Society sanctuary in Connecticut, where “Songbird” by Fleetwood Mac served as the regional anthem. In Madison, Wisconsin, young musicians from the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras added orchestral depth to their vocal celebration. Across the border in Canada, Hugh’s Room Live featured songs by Leonard Cohen and Neil Young, while choral director Don Naduriak led a diverse group of voices in creating an atmosphere of unity and reflection.
Make Music Day, originally launched in France in 1982 as the “Fête de la Musique,” has evolved into a global grassroots phenomenon. Its founding principles—free participation, accessibility, and celebration of all forms of music—remain central. Each June 21, as the summer solstice arrives, cities worldwide transform public spaces into open stages for performers of all kinds. There are no tickets, no auditions, and no boundaries—only the universal language of music shared by communities large and small.
The 2025 edition expanded on familiar Make Music Day programming like Mass Appeal (mass instrument jams), Flowerpot Music (percussive garden performances), and Sousapalooza (marching band tributes). But “Taking Flight” stood out for its ambition to unite voices not just in song but in purpose, signaling a renewed emphasis on choral music as a tool for healing and unity in uncertain times.
Jim Thomas, President of Hugh’s Room Live, captured the initiative’s essence in a statement: “At a time when the world needs healing and harmony more than ever, ‘Taking Flight’ brought together hundreds of ordinary people from three continents to make music together. It’s a beautiful reminder of our shared humanity.”
Indeed, while each location brought its own flavor—Turkey with traditional folk songs, South Africa with tributes to Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the U.K. with contemporary hits—every voice contributed to a collective chorus rooted in community and hope.
The use of live video feeds and simple mobile technology made it easy for even the smallest community choir or informal group to participate. In some places, the event spilled into town squares and parks; in others, it took place in libraries, churches, and arts centers. Children, seniors, experienced vocalists, and first-time singers stood side by side, bound together not by musical perfection but by a shared desire to connect through sound.
What made “Taking Flight” particularly poignant in 2025 was its resonance with current global themes—renewed calls for international cooperation, mental health awareness, and the reimagining of public life in a post-pandemic world. Music, as it has often done, became a unifier and a comfort.
As Make Music Day continues to grow each year, “Taking Flight” is expected to return in future editions, potentially with new themes, expanded repertoire, and greater participation from schools, faith communities, and civic groups. Its success this year demonstrated the enduring power of live communal music—even in a digital age—to transcend barriers and bring people together.