Tip of the day 21/6/2023 – European Music Day

• June 21, 2023

Music Day was first celebrated in Paris in 1982, at the initiative of the then Minister of Culture Jacques Lang, and in 1985 the celebration spread beyond the French borders. Athens, European Capital of Culture 1985, was the first country outside France to host the Music Day. Within a few years, Music Day has become a true institution, a major European cultural event held every 21 June in more than 22 countries, from Ireland to Kazakhstan and from the Baltic States to Cyprus.

Amateur and professional musicians alike flood municipal spaces, squares, streets, streets, stations, parks and various other venues, presenting pro bono concerts from across the musical spectrum. This is an opportunity for a European cultural celebration that helps to develop cultural exchanges and collaborations between young and established artists from different countries.

So, today as you wonder around Athens, it’s possible to see more than usual many  street musicians  in every corner of the city. Stop for a minute and enjoy that special vibe of the city! And if you want something more organised to spend your day, you should  visit the garden of Athens  Concert Hall and its special event for the day. But don’t forget to have with you a pic nic blanket, or something to lay on the grass. There are no seats, just grass there.

With Neapolitan canzonetti, introductions from famous Italian operas, iconic Beatles hits and original jazz compositions and arrangements, this year the Garden welcomes the Music Day. The soprano Despina Skarlatou takes us on a journey to the charming melodies of the Italian South, accompanied by the Athens State Orchestra, which reminds us of two delightful introductions by Gioachino Rossini from the operas “The Barber of Seville” and “William Tell”. Yannis Poulakis conducts the orchestra.

The ERT Choir performs arrangements of the “Beetles” songs that made history (“Let It Be”, “Yesterday”, “Penny Lane”, “Yellow Submarine”, etc.).

The evening closes with the jazz trio of Tassos Pappas in a program that combines pieces by great musicians of our time, such as Keith Jarrett and Fazil Say, with arrangements of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and Claude Bolling.

Admission to the Music Festival is free to the public.