“Flat Foot Flatbush” isn’t the only event at the winter edition of Make Music New York bringing free participatory musical performances to the streets of Brooklyn this weekend. Here are the festival’s other Kings County celebrations.
‘Winterize’
Returning to the festival for yet another year, this popular piece sees baritone singer Christopher Dylan Herbert perform Franz Schubert’s 1828 song cycle “Winterreise” while participants supply the accompaniment via hand-held radios. This year’s edition will feature new illustrated German-to-English supertitles by Italian artist Irene Rinaldi.
11 am at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Magnolia Plaza (Washington Avenue and Montgomery Street in Prospect Park).
‘La Trullita Navidena de Los Sures’
This is two holiday traditions for the price of one (and the price is free). This party with Afro Puerto Rican drum group BombaYo will fuse together parrandas — the Caribbean answer to Christmas caroling — with the Mexican tradition of posada, a musical procession re-enacting the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem.
1 pm at El Puente (211 S. Fourth St. between Roebling Street and Marcy Avenue in Williamsburg).
‘Kalimbascope’
This one gets two enthusiastic thumbs up! Composer J.C. King will lead a procession of people playing the kalimba — small piano-style instrument played with thumbs — through the streets of Williamsburg. Bring your own kalimba, hand chimes, or bells tuned to D-flat if you have them, but 20 kalimbas will be available to borrow if you don’t.
4 pm at Cooper Park (Maspeth Avenue and Olive Street in Williamsburg).
‘Wheels’
Be at this performance with bells on — literally. Participants in this piece by composer Nissim Schaul will cycle through Prospect Park ringing bicycle bells, conducted by lights on the back of a bicycle helmet. Bells will be given to the first 50 participants to show up — bring a screwdriver so you can attach it!
4 pm at Grand Army Plaza (Grand Army Plaza at Flatbush Avenue in Park Slope).
More information at www.makemusicny.org.
