TESTAMENT's ALEX SKOLNICK To Take Part In 'Make Music Day', The World's Largest Global Music Event

On June 21, the world's largest interactive, annual music event, unified as the Make Music Day celebration, will take place around the world. From morning to night, people of all ages, creeds, and musical persuasions will gather in an all-inclusive day of making music. From drum symphonies to massive ukulele circles, streets, sidewalks, stores and parks across the nation will be filled with people celebrating music.

Highlights include:

* New York City, there will be 1,350 wide-ranging events including a free guitar school in Union Square Park hosted by Guitar World magazine, Hal Leonard and C.F. Martin & Co. featuring TESTAMENT's Alex Skolnick and Wise Girl; a celebration of the 200th birthday of Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, with 100 saxophonists playing at Columbia University; and a Billy Joel sing-along on wheels presented by Casio with pianist Simon Mulligan on the keys and people off the street taking a turn on the mic. In addition, legendary drummer Carmine Appice will perform at "Rhythm On Rikers" alongside inmates in a percussion workshop.

The first featured performance in Union Square Park begins at 4:45 p.m. with Skolnick and his world music act, PLANETARY COALITION, including some special surprise guests! Perhaps best known for his role in the celebrated metal band TESTAMENT, this project shows another side of this masterful player. PLANETARY COALITION is an ethnically flavored collective of diverse musicians that is funded through ArtistShare and features musicians and musical influences from all over the world.

* With nearly 30 events, Boston features an interactive art installation around Frog Pond at Boston Common with percussionists playing an original piece on Zildjian cymbals.

* Philadelphia has nearly 200 planned events and boasts a Mass Appeal Harmonica event from Hohner with Lee Fields & THE EXPRESSIONS. Harmonicas will be distributed to anyone in the audience who wants to join the all-inclusive harmonica events in seventeen cities.

* With 90+ bands signed up to participate, music-related events in Los Angeles include Mass Appeal Ukuleles featuring Grammy-winning player Daniel Ho leading a massive ukulele circle in Griffith Park. This is being put together through the generous efforts of Alfred Publishing, KALA and Making Music magazine who provided music for all participants.

* Chicago will have 200+ performances in 55 locations.

* Madison, Wisconsin has an outstanding nearly 400 performances lined up for Make Music Day.

NAMM's Mass Appeal, a series of events supported by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and its members, will provide people across the country with the opportunity to show up and make music no matter their experience.

The number of participating cities in the U.S. has doubled in 2014. A full list of all participating cities can be found at www.makemusicday.org.