Playing it by ear

Across France the solstice brings amateur musicians onto the streets of every town. In our tiny town of Bayeux alone we saw and heard over a dozen bands. Everyone is urged to play music outside — in their neighborhoods, or in public spaces, outdoor cafes, and parks. No talent required. The Director of Music at the French Ministry of Culture discovered, in a 1982 study on the cultural habits of the French, that one young person out of two played a musical instrument. In a note-worthy move he started the Fête de la Musique to bring music out onto the streets on the summer solstice.