Cue the Gershwin! June marks the arrival of New York’s second Music Month. The five boroughs will sound off for 30 days of workshops, walking tours, concerts and panel discussions. The event is the brainchild of Downtown Music Publishing CEO Justin Kalifowitz, who in 2014 co-founded the advocacy coalition NY is Music, and managed to get Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) commissioner Julie Menin to buy-in. “With the global music industry continuing its resurgence, it’s an exceptional time to celebrate music’s broad impact on New York City’s culture, education, and the economy, while reflecting on the challenges and opportunities that sit before us,” said Kalifowitz, thanking Menin for “her unwavering support of the City’s music community, and her work to ensure that we continue to be the music capital of the world.”

New York Music Month is billed as the official celebration of New York’s diverse music sectors, designed to “support the makers of New York City’s soundtrack,” underscoring the city’s status as an international music capital.

Highlights of New York Music Month include:

• Over 2,000 hours of free rehearsal space for NYC-based musicians through community development organization Spaceworks, underwritten by MOME.
• Music and nightlife conference: Speed talks, interviews and panels exploring innovation at the intersection of New York City’s music and nightlife industries.
• Free concerts: The New York Music Month website features a comprehensive calendar listing free and ticketed music events across the five boroughs.
• Free walking tours of iconic music sites: Our popular free tours are back for a second year, this time highlighting Morrisania, the South Bronx, and Greenwich Village.
• KIDZ BOP partnership: The best-selling music brand is supporting New York Music Month with a Taxi TV spot promoting the month and a free performance for elementary school children in the Bronx. The country’s top music brand for kids, Kidz Bop features current hits “Sung by Kids for Kids.”

“We are so pleased to present New York Music Month, back for a second year with even more programming for musicians and music lovers alike,” Menin said. “This initiative is a celebration of all that our city’s incomparable music industry has to offer, whether you’re an artist trying to make your mark, a sound engineer interested in honing your craft or simply a music fan looking for free concerts this summer. New York is home to the largest and most diverse music business ecosystem on the planet, and I invite all New Yorkers to join in the festivities this summer!”

Music is central to New York City’s economy, social fabric, and cultural identity. From hip hop and salsa to folk and electronic, an enormous array of musical styles have emerged here in the city. New York Music Month celebrates this essential form of artistic expression, and creates opportunities for musicians and music lovers alike to experience everything the city’s booming music industry has to offer.

Organized to coincide with other major New York City music events in June, the month’s calendar boasts both public and industry-facing events, including Governor’s Ball, the Annual Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the National Music Publishers Association annual meeting, A2IM Indie Week, the Northside Festival, SummerStage and BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival opening weekends, and many more.

Resources for the musicians and artists who comprise New York City’s creative communities are a vital part of what keeps the economy humming, Menin added, noting “the City wants to do its part to support and help music creators thrive.” New York Music Month features tailor-made programs and free opportunities for members of the city’s music-making community.

Workshop topics will cover a range of topics including how to secure gigs in NYC; how to make money with music; how to license your music for film, television and advertising; and best practices for navigating the legal side of the music industry, in partnership with the American Federation of Musicians Local 802 and Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing.

Additionally, Power Station At BerkleeNYC will offer two free workshops: Intro To Sync And Music Licensing and Creating A Band Agreement: A Music Business Workshop. A #MyNYCSong Teen Songwriting Contest for New Yorkers age 13-19 from all five boroughs will be a centerpiece initiative, encouraging teens to “write a love letter to your hometown.”

NY is Music is dedicated to advancing the importance of music in economic development, culture, and education in New York. Having worked with over 200 businesses and institutions encompassing every facet of New York’s multi-dimensional music industry, the organization focuses on identifying and increasing awareness of the music industry’s cultural and economic impact, creating new networks of common interest, promoting music education, and supporting the future of New York’s diverse music ecosystem. NY is Music was established by musician Bill Harvey along with Kalifowitz.

Visit www.nymusicmonth.nyc for more information.