The Macao International Music Festival for 2020 is in full swing with a unique theme, “For a Special Year”. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many changes this year, but the festival keeps its commitment to take music to every corner of Macao and satisfy a need for cultural diversity, until the end of October.
For more than 30 years, the Macao International Music Festival has been a cornerstone of the city’s artistic life. The pandemic meant this year’s event has been brought forward from October and the programme is made up largely of local concerts, with community performances given by more than 300 musicians belonging to 18 local groups.
Included in the festival are performances by local groups, concerts, music-themed movie screenings and the chance to play the piano in public. Admission is free.
On the schedule for September are the community music performances “Family Music Camp” in the Leisure Area of the Lok Yeong Building on 19 September from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and “Family Fun Music Day” in Dr. Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park on 26 September from 3.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.
The “Street Piano Programme”, a well-received element of the 2019 festival, returns until 30 December. Two pianos are appearing in parks and leisure areas on the Macao Peninsula and Taipa, and at the Macao Science Centre. The pianos are free for people to play whenever they feel like it. The pianos will be sanitised regularly, but players are advised to wear protective face masks and disinfect their hands before hitting the keys.
“Enjoy Music in Cinema: Screening of Musical Movies” is the name of the festival’s cinema season. The musical movies being screened in September and October are “This Old Road – Konomichi”, “Itzhak”, “Yesterday” and “Nelson Freire”. Each session includes a guest talk afterwards.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau will strictly follow the guidelines set out by the health authorities to counter the spread of COVID-19. Anyone attending an event part of the festival must wear a mask, have their temperature taken and show a valid Macao Health Code.
Details of the Macao International Music Festival are available at the dedicated website, www.icm.gov.mo/fimm, at the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s WeChat account, “IC_Art_Macao”, and at the “Macao International Music Festival” Facebook page.
Anyone wishing to attend the events must register online with the Cultural Affairs Bureau at http://www.icm.gov.mo/eform/event.
The “Street Piano Programme” puts the public in the spotlight until 30 December (Photo courtesy of the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau) 
Local musicians are bringing the Macao International Music Festival to the community (Photo courtesy of the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau) 
The festival includes movies with musical themes, including documentaries and guest talks (Photo courtesy of the Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau)