The third annual Make Music Troy, a wonderful mix of free, public musical events, will make its return on Saturday, June 21. Make Music Troy is part of Make Music Day, a global music celebration that takes place on the summer solstice each year and brings people of all ages and skill levels together to make music. This year, over 100 U.S. cities will host thousands of Make Music performances across the country as part of the world’s largest annual music event.
Make Music Day began in France in 1982 as the Fête de la Musique, and has spread to over 1,000 cities across 120 countries. Completely different from a typical musical festival, Make Music concerts are performed by anyone who wants to take part and enjoyed by everyone who wants to attend. From classical to folk, hip hop to opera, Latin jazz to punk rock, live music of all kinds resounds on streets, sidewalks, porches, plazas, parks, gardens, store fronts and other public spaces on the longest day of the year.
Any business or musician, amateur or professional, young or old, is invited to take part! Make Music Day Interest Form
FREE to attend!
MAKE MUSIC DAY EVENTS CITY-WIDE, ALL DAY
Activities:
10:00AM–2:00PM | Make Music Day Troy at Troy Waterfront Farmers Market
Celebrate Make Music Day Troy during the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market with live performances throughout downtown Troy. Below is the schedule for events taking place near and around the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and adjacent areas.
Second Street Stage | In Front of Troy Savings Bank Music Hall 32 Second Street, Troy, NY 12180
• 10:00 AM–10:40 AM | Diver Library Presents: Youth Performances
• 11:00 AM–12:00 PM | Deb Cavanaugh & Shows Leary: A family-friendly folk performance with mountain dulcimer, guitar, limberjack, and crankie. Play and Sing-Along!
• 12:30 PM–1:30 PM | Jordan Taylor Hill Drum Circle: Interactive drumming session with djembe and percussion instruments provided, open to all ages.
First Street Stage
• 10:00 AM–2:00 PM | TINY VAN CONCERTS featuring LSDaniel, Nate Goyette, and Andy Shapiro
Third Street & Broadway
• 10:00AM–11:30AM | Live art and engagement by TAP Inc. featuring Bullfrog Symphony
• 12:00PM–1:00PM | Diver Library Presents Hannah Coffin
Monument Square Performers
• 10:00AM–11:30AM | Chris Sanders
• 12:30PM–2:00PM | Tanager
River Street Stage Performers
10:00AM–11:30AM | Pine Hills Band
12:30PM–2:00PM | Lucio Barbarino
10:00AM – 12:00PM | EMPAC’s Immersive Music & Stage Technology Tent
Outside the Troy Public Library | 100 Second Street Troy, NY 12180
Step into the world of sound, light, and imagination! Join Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s (RPI) Experimental Media Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) for an exciting, hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools used to create live performances. Families and kids of all ages can explore how music moves through space, play with interactive lights, and see how artists shape video and sound in real time. Come discover the magic behind the scenes—and maybe spark a future in tech and the arts!
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM |Soundhouse Sessions: djdrummernk creating Immersive Rhythms and Textures performed live in store
Sound House Records | 45 3rd Street, Troy, NY 12180
Join us for a special in-store performance by djdrummernk as part of Make Music Day Troy. Known for his work blending acoustic percussion with electronic textures, djdrummernk creates live, improvised sets that transform any space into an immersive sound environment. Drawing on a rich background in global percussion traditions and electronic processing, his performances are engaging, accessible, and deeply rooted in community music-making.
This set is part of Soundhouse Sessions, a series celebrating local artists and crate-digging culture. Come browse the bins and experience live music in an intimate and vibrant record shop setting. Free and open to all.
1:00 PM–2:00 PM | Suzuki Community Strings Jam Session
Hart Cluett Museum | 57 2nd Street, Troy, NY 12180
Suzuki Community Strings will take part in Make Music Day Troy! Join in at the Hart Cluett Museum for a joyful, collaborative performance. This group jam will feel like a large group class, and all string players are welcome to participate—whether you’re playing the full set list or just a few pieces. We'll share music, improvise, harmonize, and listen together.
Sample Repertoire Includes:
- French Folk Song, Lightly Row, Song of the Wind
- O Come Little Children, May Song, Long, Long Ago, Allegro, Perpetual Motion
- Allegretto, Andantino, Happy Farmer, Gossec Gavotte
- Bohemian Folk Song, Etude, Doubles
Whether you're playing one song or twenty, come with your joy, your curiosity, and your love of music. All ages welcome.
MORE INFORMATION
RSVP to this event here!
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Youth Music Showcase
Troy Music Academy Youth Stage | 9 3rd St, Troy, NY 12180
Celebrate the next generation of musicians at this special Make Music Day performance featuring talented student performers from Troy Music Academy. Enjoy a variety of musical styles and instruments as young artists take the stage to share their passion, progress, and creativity in a fun, family-friendly setting.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | The Joys of Homemade Music & Amateur Community Music Making featuring members of the Hudson Mohawk Chapter of the American Recorder Society
Segel Violins | 44 Third Street, Troy, NY 12180
Shop open: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Celebrate the spirit of amateur music-making and the simple joy of homemade sound. Join us at Segel Violins for a special event featuring members of the Hudson Mohawk chapter of the American Recorder Society, who will share music and insight into the recorder’s long-standing role in community and historical music traditions.
From 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Segel Violins invites anyone interested in music to drop in, explore the shop, and chat with luthier Deb Segel about how accessible, joyful, and enriching homemade music can be. Throughout the afternoon, Deb will demonstrate easy-to-learn instruments such as recorders, mountain dulcimers, and Native American-style flutes, ideal for anyone curious about making music at home or in community settings.
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Honky Tonk Record Club
No Fun | 275 River St, Troy, NY 12180
Dig into vintage vibes and classic country sounds at this Make Music Day installment of the Honky Tonk Record Club. Featuring DJ Tex (Texas Headphone) and Steve Hammond spinning dusty gems and twangy treasures, this drop-in session at No Fun invites you to hang, and enjoy the grooves all afternoon.
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Sousapalooza: A Community Reading of the Music of John Philip Sousa
Outside Troy Savings Bank Music Hall | 32 Second Street, Troy, NY
Join us for Sousapalooza, a joyful, participatory concert featuring the patriotic marches of John Philip Sousa. This open-air performance invites brass, woodwind, and percussion players of all ages and experience levels to come together and bring Sousa’s iconic music to life in downtown Troy.
Selections will include but are not limited to:
The Stars and Stripes Forever
The Washington Post March
Semper Fidelis
Liberty Bell March
Hands Across the Sea
Guest Conductor: Dr. Peter Bellino
No rehearsal required — just show up ready to play!
SIGN UP HERE
MORE INFORMATION
This program is sponsored by: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
5:15PM–5:45PM | Empire State Youth Orchestra Jazz Duo
Outside Troy Savings Bank Music Hall | 32 Second Street, Troy, NY
Performance by two members of the Empire State Youth Orchestra’s jazz program
6:00 PM–7:15 PM | Troy Samba – Summer Square Kickoff at Make Music Day
Outside Troy Savings Bank Music Hall | 32 Second Street, Troy, NY
Kick off the Summer Square Concert Series with Troy Samba, a high-energy percussion ensemble based in Troy, NY. Performing in the vibrant Brazilian batería style, Troy Samba brings the rhythms of Rio to the Capital Region. This family-friendly, interactive set invites audience members of all ages to join in—percussion instruments will be available to play. Free and open to the public.
8:00 PM – Late | Summer Solstice Planetarium – Make Music Day Afterparty
No Fun | 275 River St, Troy, NY 12180
Cap off Make Music Day Troy with a cosmic celebration at No Fun. The Summer Solstice Planetarium hosts an eclectic afterparty featuring immersive sounds, stellar visuals, and late-night vibes to toast the longest day of the year.
Troy Waterfront Farmers Market and our broadcasting partners WEXT
