Fête de la Musique, Launched in 1982 by the French Ministry of culture, is held in more than hundred countries in Europe and over the world. It takes place every 21st of June, the day of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere.

La Fête de la Musique allows all people with a passion for music to gather and take part in the performance, whether they are amateur or professional musicians. It is then completely different from a music festival. The Fête de la Musique is above all a free popular fête. This Music day allows the expression of all styles of music in a cheerful atmosphere. It aims at a large audience, working to popularize musical practice for all public from all communities.

The Theme 2014: Urban Music

When music comes across the energy of the inhabitants: this year Fête de la Musique celebrates urban music. The original excitement, creative and festive, which mixes cultures and walks through the streets of the world, sometimes, like hip-hop, was a counterculture. Today, joining the large traditional marching bands, bandas or batucadas, sometimes tinted with sounds due to the explosion of electronic music, urban music is undeniably a major cultural and artistic phenomenon accessible to everyone.

A free and popular event

The musicians are asked to perform for free, and all the concerts are free for the public. It’s the reason why they are used to play in open air areas as streets and parks or in public buildings like museums, train stations, castles…

Furthermore, the Fête de la Musique is a way to encourage the major music institutions (orchestra, operas, choirs, etc.) to perform outside their usual locations.

At Dubai we will be having the Dubai Classical Guitar Orchestra and Jumeirah Music Centre playing at the Fête de la Musique.

It gives an opportunity to communicate and share a very special moment through music.

Thanks to the impulse and the dynamism of the Alliance Francaise worldwide network, the Fête has an important international growth. Indeed, a lot of events are now set up by local organizers. We have to invent the Fête de la Musique again and again, taking into consideration each country’s cultural specificities. In this way, it will become a real emblematic event in most of the countries.

“La Fête de la Musique” will take place in the unique surroundings of the Souk Madinat Jumeirah. Amateur and professional musicians will invade the alleys of the souk and perform from 7 pm till 10 pm. The Fête de la Musique, will allow the expression of all styles of music in a cheerful atmosphere, and will be representative of the cultural diversity of the UAE. The various acts and artists present a wide diversity of instruments, traditions and sounds. It helps popularising musical practice for all people with different ages. This is likely to be one of the most varied and colorful musical events of the season.