Club Free Time Blog

Summer music in New York, Solstice edition

Gail Wein
June 14, 2015

June 21, the longest day of the year, is when my favorite musical event of the year happens. In volume alone, Make Music New York is a winner – over 1000 concerts spread throughout the five boroughs. And they’re all free. The variety is also staggering. A few highlights: Sousapalooza in Bryant Park, where a mass of concert band instrumentalists will play scads of marches by John Phillip Sousa; Concerto for Buildings in SoHo, and a mass gathering of Klezmer violins outside Joe’s Pub in Astor Place. But, really, on any given sidewalk and in seemingly every park there’s bound to be spontaneous music. Wander around your own neighborhood and you’ll run into something interesting, I promise.

This year, my other favorite festival – Bang on a Can Marathon – also falls on June 21, from noon to 10 pm at Wintergarden at Brookfield Place. Ten hours of contemporary music, featuring performances by So Percussion, Cyro Baptista, the Glen Branca ensemble and Dither, the electric guitar quartet. It’s free.

Earlier this week, the NY Philharmonic celebrates 50 years of free concerts in the parks, with a program of all-American music led by Alan Gilbert (June 17) and a French program featuring Stravinsky’s colorful Petroushka (June 18) in Central Park. The concerts end with an excellent fireworks display. The series continues in various parks around the boroughs through June 24. Bring a picnic, spread out on the grass and enjoy the artistry of one of the best orchestras in the universe.

Already underway, it’s the Chelsea Music Festival, boasting a score of events through June 20. This year’s fest focuses on Finnish and Hungarian culture, and includes chamber music, jazz and more. The sweeping view from its main venue, Canoe Studios, rivals the exquisite sounds of the music. There is a smattering of free events; most of the ticketed events include a reception.