World Day of Music

World Day of Music

By Sharon Schweitzer

From the oldest musical instrument in the world — the Neanderthal flute, made by Neanderthals 60,000 years ago — to present-day electronic instruments, music has become a significant part of our daily lives. Other than being pleasant to listen to, music is a form of expression — the right melody resonates with feelings better than words can, and music transcends borders. This is exactly what World Day of Music aims for — bringing people together, and breaking barriers and boundaries through music.

World Day of Music initially started in France. When Maurice Fleuret became the Director of Music and Dance at the Ministry of Culture in October 1981, he applied his perspective on musical practice: “the music everywhere and the concert nowhere.” In a study written in 1982 on French cultural habits, Fleuret discovered that every one out of two people played a musical instrument. Inspired by this, he started thinking of a way to bring people together on the streets with music. This is how the first Day of Music, or ‘Fête de la Musique,’ took place in Paris in 1982.   

It’s meant to make music more inclusive and encourage people of varying skill levels to interact a lot more with all types of tunes. 

Fête de la Musique promoted music in two ways: by encouraging new and professional musicians to perform in the streets and by organizing free music concerts, covering all genres of music, so that the public could be exposed to new music. Under the slogan ‘Faites de la musique’ (‘Make music’), the official Fête de la Musique organization in Paris advocated for concerts to be made free to the public and that artists play free of charge. This was broadly applicable to other participating cities as well. 

Over the past few years, the festival gained international popularity, eventually being celebrated by more than 120 countries around the world. The day evolved to finally become World Day of Music, World Music Day, or International Music Day.

Music is not only a fantastic creative outlet, but it can also have many health benefits. When you listen to a particular song it can bring back a happy memory or make you feel energized. Studies suggest that listening to music can have a number of positive effects on your health and mental wellbeing. As well as enhancing your performance of exercise, it can also provide a huge amount of comfort. Exercise has also been proven to reduce anxiety and listening to relaxing music can also decrease stress levels. 

No matter how you decide to participate in World Music Day, spread awareness of the power music has on our everyday lives and honor the importance of its benefits to the mind, body and soul.

Photo by www.ndtv.com/

Sharon Schweitzer JD, is a diversity and inclusion consultant, cross-cultural trainer, etiquette expert, and the founder of Access to Culture. In addition to her accreditation in intercultural management from the HOFSTEDE Centre, she is an attorney and mediator. Sharon served as a Chinese Ceremonial Dining Etiquette Specialist in the documentary series Confucius was a Foodie, on Nat Geo People. Her Amazon #1 Best Selling book in International Business,  Access to Asia: Your Multicultural Business Guide, won a coveted Kirkus Star, and was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books. She’s a winner of numerous awards, including the British Airways International Trade Award at the Greater Austin Business Awards.

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