Flight Ukuleles Returns to Make Music Day
Make Music Day (MMD) is a free celebration of music around the world on June 21st. Launched in 1982 in France as the Fête de la Musique, it is now held on the same day in more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries.
The NAMM Member and Slovenia's, Flight Ukulele, is returning to MMD for its second year, providing free ukulele lessons with some of its artists, affectionately known as its Flight Crew. Musicians of all abilities are invited to join Flight in 12 hours of free lessons and open forums to ask questions to the presenters.
We spoke with Emma Gowing, Flight’s Artist Relations Manager and Official Artist, about their MMD program.
Can you provide a preview of Flight’s MMD participation?
Last year went extremely well and featured big headliners like Elise Ecklund, and this year it will be even bigger with 12 hours of workshops and many more teachers and artists taking part. We have a diverse range of players, styles, and levels covered this year, so there is truly something for everyone!
What inspired Flight to participate in Make Music Day?
Make Music Day is all about getting people involved with music on a massive scale, from amateurs to professionals. This sense of inclusivity and accessibility is reflected in the ukulele as an instrument, and the global ukulele community is well known for being incredibly supportive and welcoming. By offering workshops like this, we hope to make music learning as accessible as possible, to as many people as possible. Flight is not just a brand - we are a community of teachers and learners who want to share our passion with the world. Make Music Day is the perfect platform for that!
Is there a place Flight is going to share content collected on Make Music Day?
We will save recorded sessions on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/flightukulele) after the event. We also have a publication on our website with links to the Zoom event, content, and PDFs for the workshops (https://flightmusic.com/2021/06/14/flight-ukulele-lesson-marathon-at-make-music-day/). Of course, the program information and schedule are also available on Make Music Day’s official website (https://www.makemusicday.org/national-projects/music-lesson-marathon-ukulele/). You can also use #flightukulelemarathon to follow the action.
“Make Music Day is the day you let your music take Flight.”
Tyler Austenfeld, one of the ukulele teachers participating in Flight’s music lesson marathon, reflected on his participation in the event, saying, “Participating in events like these is a great way to spread the power of music. I believe in music. I believe it is never too late to learn an instrument and that we are better off when we take the time to do so. My quality of life has increased dramatically since learning the ukulele, and it is something that I want to share with as many people as possible. I am very excited to be part of this event for that exact reason. It is a chance for me to spread the positivity and power of music to other people.” Austenfeld encapsulates the Flight and MMD message, represented in his dynamic online presence, including on his YouTube channel, Instagram, Facebook, and his Patreon.
Another participating member of the Flight Crew is known as Ukulele Simon. Ukulele Simon chose to get involved in MMD to give back to the ukulele community he loves so much. “They are so strong and loyal, and I can’t wait to see them all in person. But until we can do that safely, we can connect online,” says Ukulele Simon. Those looking to connect with Ukulele Simon can do so via his YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok.
For more information on Make Music Day, visit www.makemusicday.org, and for more from Flight, please visit www.flightmusic.com and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxEh36BNFkk for Flight's MMD livestream. For all of Make Music Day programs and updates, follow #MakeMusicDay.