Kickstarter Campaign Update

We know people are stressed, we know people are having trouble figuring out their new daily routine. We are, too. While we are still planning for this year’s Make Music Upper Perk, we are also keeping watch on the news and trying to make informed decisions. We don’t know what the situation will be like on June 21st, but for now, we are going ahead with the idea that we will be able to be out and enjoying music performed by our wonderful local musicians.

Kickstarter also understands that these are confusing times, and so they have extended everyone’s project for 7 days. Our new deadline to raise $900 is midnight April 6th. We are only 2/3 of the way there – Kickstarter is an all or nothing fundraiser, meaning if we don’t get $900 in pledges, we get nothing. If you can spare $10, $25, or more, please donate to this community funded, all volunteer, event. If we have to cancel this year’s event, any and all money raised will be put towards Make Music Upper Perk 2021 – Monday, June 21st, 2021.

MMUP 2020 Status Report!

We have decided to optimistically move forward in planning MMUP 2020 hoping that by Sunday, June 21st, we will be able to gather together again. We will reassess as time goes on and keep you informed.

Any funds raised during our Kickstarter campaign (DEADLINE March 31), will be used for 2020, or saved for 2021 Make Music Upper Perk – Monday, June 21, 2021 – if not.

Musicians can still register for this year’s event (DEADLINE April 20th).

We are postponing our plans to have a new t-shirt design this year, but you can look forward to that in 2021!

Keep an eye on our Facebook page and on this blog for unfolding information.

Take care, and keep making music!

Choose Joy and Support Make Music Upper Perk 2020!

Embrace hope and choose joy (and listen to music, and make art, and read, and take a breath, and “tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – quote by Mary Oliver).

Donate today to support the June 21st day long community celebration of music; all concerts and music events free to the public. Be one of those who make Make Music Upper Perk happen!

The sun is shining, the first day of spring is near, and the first day of summer, and with it, Make Music Upper Perk, will be here before you know it. Don’t wait to give what you can, be listed on the program as one of our financial supporters, and receive a thank you gift for your early support. (Kickstarter fundraiser ends soon!)

In 2013, a small group of volunteers put together the first ever Make Music Upper Perk; a one day celebration of the role of music in our lives – all free and open to the public.

By 2019, Make Music Upper Perk (MMUP) had grown from showcasing 100 musicians at seven public spaces to over 200 musicians, ranging from 6 – 92 years old, performing all types of music, in five towns, at nineteen venues, inside and outside. MMUP, part of a worldwide music festival held in 120 countries on June 21st, is still organized entirely by volunteers, and supported financially by donations from community members. Make Music Upper Perk officially received its 501(c) (nonprofit) status at the end of 2019.

Support Make Music Upper Perk this month!

Once again, Make Music Upper Perk is counting on community support to fund the annual music festival held all over town, for all ages, with all types of music by all ages of musicians – at no cost to the audience – this year on Friday, June 21, 2019.

This event is run and organized entirely by volunteers, and funded entirely by members of the community and music lovers. Please show your support by making a donation of any size via Kickstarter

We have set a modest goal of $750 (though more than that is needed to meet our planned budget) – Kickstarter rules says that if we don’t meet our goal, we don’t get any of the money pledged to us!

Thank you gifts this year include music CDs recorded and donated by the following musicians, who have played at Make Music Upper Perk in the past (and plan on being part of the event in 2019!);

Ralph Pagano

Tom and Betty Druckenmiller

Steve Walker

Valley Choral Society

Donors pledging $100 or more may choose to receive book art folded by Laura Yocum. The photo below shows the book art received by donors last year.

The deadline for donating to our Kickstarter fundraising campaign is midnight, March 31, 2019. However, there are a limited number of CDs and book art, so don’t wait – make your donation pledge today!

Record Musician Registration, Volunteers at Work, MMUP Videos (and how you can be a part of Make Music Upper Perk 2019!)

More musicians signed up to play at this year’s Make Music Upper Perk (MMUP) in the first week of online registration (which opened on February 1st) than signed up in the first month in 2018! Among those who signed up were five who have never played at the free, all day, Valley-wide music event before! We are super excited about welcoming back those who have been a part of the celebration from the beginning in 2013, and those who will be joining us for the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth time (yes, this is the 7th year of Make Music Upper Perk – this year in 20 locations around the Upper Perkiomen Valley, from East Greenville to Sumneytown, PA).

Quite a few folks turned up for the first meeting for volunteers for MMUP, on Saturday, February 2, 2019. The discussion ranged from basics of distributing flyers and info postcards (which are sprouting up all around town this month), to yarn bombing issues, roadies and site hosts needed on June 21st, to the March Kickstarter campaign, to the planned raffle event supporting MMUP taking place the month leading up to June 21st, and included the ongoing effort for the organization to become an official 501(c)(3) non-profit.

One of our wonderful photographers, Art Olsen, was at the meeting (and, of course, took a few photographs). With all the new venues and our ever growing number of musicians, it was agreed that more than 2 photographers (Kristi Morris of Littlewings Studio is MMUP’s other main photographer on June 21st, and has been for many years now) will be needed this year for full coverage. Another volunteer suggested looking for an “official volunteer videographer” to add to our roster and to provide more coverage of the music happenings of the day. Thanks to audience members and various volunteers, we do have some video from years past – check out some of the ones posted on YouTube at this Make Music Upper Perk playlist!

If you are interested in being a part of Make Music Upper Perk in any capacity, let us know! Music makers of all ages, abilities, and genres are welcome to join in – just sign up by April 21st.  Volunteers are needed before, during, and after June 21st; everything from site hosts, to roadies, to yarn bombers (putting up the yarn creations on trees, railings, etc.), to photographers and videographers – sign up here!

Donations to MMUP are accepted year-round, and via our March Kickstarter campaign. Make Music Upper Perk is organized and run entirely by volunteers, and supported financially by donations from community members. MMUP is part of a worldwide celebration of the role of music in our lives held in 120 countries on June 21st, all free and open to the public.

MMUP donation form

 

Only in the Month of March – MMUP Kickstarter Campaign

The first day of March is also the first day of Make Music Upper Perk’s Kickstarter campaign.

Money raised allows us to print flyers and save the date cards, and print programs and maps to be distributed at the the local library, senior center, and other places around town, as well as printing the program in the local newspaper. Last year we bought more yard signs to expand the area covered and grow our audience. This year we are hoping to acquire some small MMUP banners for our performance stages, and to pay for filing costs to apply for official non-profit status.

At Kickstarter you can donate as little as $10 or as much as your wallet can spare, for the wonderful cause of keeping Make Music Upper Perk community funded and community supported; with local musicians for local audiences (although we do welcome and include musicians, and audience members, from all over and outside of the Upper Perkiomen Valley). But don’t wait, don’t hesitate – It’s All or nothing. This project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by Sat, March 31 2018 12:00 AM EDT.

Kickstarter is an enormous global community built around creativity and creative projects. Over 10 million people, from every continent on earth, have backed a Kickstarter project.

Make Music Upper Perk February Update!

The first volunteer meeting for 2018 Make Music Upper Perk (MMUP) brought together volunteers who’ve been part of the event since the beginning, in 2013, and newcomers who have never even attended MMUP, let alone volunteered. In addition to talking about the event and the many varied volunteer opportunities, we handed out flyers and postcards to start posting and distributing in the area. Some people couldn’t make it to the meeting, but have emailed us or signed up online (it’s not too late to volunteer).

More than a dozen individuals and groups have already signed up to play on June 21st;  registration continues through April 20, 2018; sign up online to perform at this year’s Make Music Upper Perk. Sign up options include live music performance (concert, gig, session, jam etc), participatory events such as workshops, and public gatherings for music participation (sing-alongs, drums, guitars, kazoos, etc).  Music makers of all ages, abilities, and types of music are invited to be part of this event.

We started setting up this year’s Kickstarter campaign – that fundraiser is held during the month of March. This year, donations may be also be made with MMUP 2018 donation form (one can print it out and mail the form and a check to MMUP, address on donation form). Make Music Upper Perk is in the process of seeking non-profit 501c3 status.

Make Music Upper Perk takes place every year on the first day of summer, June 21st, throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley; free music concerts held indoors and outdoors, in local parks, green spaces, libraries, coffeehouses, local businesses, community centers, everywhere and anywhere musicians of all ages and abilities and instrumental preference would like to perform. A full performance schedule will be widely distributed online and on paper in May.

Planning Begins for 2018, Make Music Upper Perk!

Yes, even with snow predicted to fall tomorrow, we are thinking about the first day of summer – June 21st – which most importantly for us is the day for Make Music Upper Perk; all free, all day, for all ages, all over the Upper Perkiomen Valley, celebration of music, music festival!

The first meeting between Make Music Upper Perk organizers and representatives from various venues where musicians will be playing this year (including local businesses, non-profits, and churches) was held on January 11, 2018, in preparation and anticipation for this year’s Make Music Upper Perk (MMUP), which will be held on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (If you are curious as to main locations where musicians played last year, check out the 2017 venue map!)

Volunteers, those who’ve been part of MMUP in the past, and newcomers who’d like to get involved, will be meeting for the first time this year on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. at Java & Bake Company, 231 Main Street, East Greenville, PA. If you are curious as to some of the volunteer options, or unable to attend the meeting but would still like to be involved, take a look at the our volunteer page and/or sign up to volunteer online!

Starting this Thursday on February 1st, through April 20, 2018, one can sign up online to perform at this year’s Make Music Upper Perk. Sign up options include live music performance (concert, gig, session, jam etc), participatory events such as workshops, and public gatherings for music participation (sing-alongs, drums, guitars, kazoos, etc).

Gather your friends, dust off your instruments, and sign up – anyone and everyone is invited to participate – students, amateurs, professionals, and everyone in between – all musical genres are welcome (but do keep it family friendly).

Our roving photographers, Kristi Morris of Littlewing Studio (Pennsburg, PA) and Art Olsen have taken many wonderful photos during Make Music Upper Perk over the years. Photographs from last year’s event, Make Music Upper Perk 2017, may be viewed online by filing the links below (anyone interested in digital copies or prints should contact the photographers);

http://littlewingstudio.zenfolio.com/p465150744

http://www.artolsenphoto.com/p748609398

MMUP is a free event organized by volunteers with musicians who are not compensated and a public that is not charged. Make Music Upper Perk is co-sponsored by ValleyArtScene and Grace Note Piano Studio. Donations may be made with MMUP 2018 donation form or via our Kickstarter campaign in March. Make Music Upper Perk is in the process of seeking non-profit 501c3 status.

Last Chance – Midnight, Friday, March 31st

The one and only fundraising campaign for Make Music Upper Perk this year ends at midnight tonight, Friday, March 31, 2017. Could you hold a 14 hour, 12 venue, free to public music festival for under $2000? Make Music Upper Perk has done it since 2013. Run and funded entirely by volunteers – donate today to keep the music playing in 2017!

Money raised from our supporters allows us to print flyers and save the date cards, as well as print programs and maps to be distributed at the local library, senior center, and other places around town, and to print our program in the local newspaper.  We’d like to get some yard signs so we can expand the area covered and continue to spread the word about the event, and grow our audiences.

More money also means we can continue to grow and to be as environmentally conscious and friendly as we can while doing so. More money means we can find more ways to celebrate music and musicians in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, and to share that celebration with people of all ages and musical tastes.

In 2013, a small group of volunteers put together the first ever Make Music Upper Perk; a one day celebration of the role of music in our lives – all free and open to the public. By 2016, Make Music Upper Perk (MMUP) had grown from 100 musicians at seven public spaces to nearly 200 musicians, ranging in age from 6 years old to 80, performing in fourteen public spaces (inside and outside).

Join us today in supporting the 5th annual day-long celebration of music in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, in upper Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Kickstarter Campaign for Make Music Upper Perk

Our Kickstarter campaign to raise money to support this year’s Make Music Upper Perk went live on March 1st, 2016. We have just 31 days to raise $1000 (or more). This is the third year that we will be asking for financial support for this all volunteer, all free, all day celebration of live music in public spaces throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley. There is no admission fee for any of the concerts or performances that take place on June 21st as part of Make Music Upper Perk. We need your help!

Thanks to last year’s supporters, we were able to print our program in the local newspaper, and set up recycling bins and water stations at the outdoor venues, in addition to printing programs, family fun handouts, and maps to be distributed at the local library, senior center, and other places around town. Once more we will need to print programs and maps (on recycled paper), and we’d like to get some yard signs so we can expand the area covered and continue to spread the word about the event. We also would like to get banners (that can be reused each year) for placement at each performance area.

And just like public radio and public tv, we’ll give you a gift to thank you for your pledge; gifts range from a pat on the back, to your name listed online, in the printed program, MMUP water bottles, MMUP bumperstickers, and more – depending on your level of financial support.

So don’t wait, go to the Kickstarter Make Music Upper Perk 2016 page now, and be a part of making this year’s music festival great!