I have never been to Coachella , but every year I find more joy than I can imagine ever having at one of these mega music fests strolling through Make Music New York on Summer Solstice. This year’s highlights: First, a group of Middle school students from WHIN Music Community Charter School performed for an audience of mostly pre-schoolers in the Children’s Magical Garden on the Lower East Side.  The toddlers enthusiastic comments after each song were a riot.

Next I saw a tribute to Billy Strayhorn by several groups of musicians in Freeman Plaza East.

And, finally I saw Wyatt McManus perform Broadway Show tunes in Bella Abzug Park.

I adore Taylor Swift, but I would rather see Wyatt McManus perform Sondheim among a dozen passersby in the canyon of Hudson Yards skyscrapers than be packed into an arena of sweaty swifties with iphones swaying wildly to catch a glimpse of the super songstress of West Reading PA.

Make Music New York was back with hundreds of artists at venues across the city celebrating summer solstice.  There were two highlights for me this year.  First, I found Victor Gurbo and Mark Caserta putting dark contemporary spins on Americana from Leadbelly to Vera Lynn (Yes I know she is English!) in front of a Flatbush Ave locksmith packed with potted plants and adjacent a smoke shop–where folks rang a buzzer to enter and possibly pick up edible pot.

Second, I strolled in to Madison Square Park and caught Mira Gill in mid performance of Samuel Barber’s Piano Sonata second and fourth movements.  She was part of Paul’s Pianopalooza, a 90th birthday celebration for composer and educator Paul Sheftel, that included four hours of performances of NYC rooted works from Gershwin to Glass.

Of course, everyday encounters with talented musicians are common in NYC (in fact, on the subway to Madison Square Park I gave a guy playing Santana on congas a dollar), but what makes MMNY special is the opportunity to stumble upon musical gems in unconventional intimate settings.  And the slightly chilly June weather was ideal for a day of musical rambling through city streets.