Marian Lee performs in the Ernst Otto Piano Recital at Schuetzen Park -- June 16.
Sunday, June 16, 2 p.m.
Schuetzen Park, 700 Waverly Road, Davenport IA
On June 16, the music of the locally famous composer, musician, and band leader Professor Ernst Otto will once again fill the air at Davenport's Schuetzen Park, with several of Otto's best-known compositions performed by Dr. Marian Lee, the gifted pianist and associate professor of piano at St. Ambrose University.
As detailed at the "Davenport Iowa History" Facebook page: "Over the course of his life, Ernest Otto became Davenport's most prolific musician, composer, band, orchestra and vocal group director and instructor. He was born in Schonwalde, Holstein, Germany on October 25, 1865. He obtained his general education and his preliminary musical education in schools there. Born with a natural gift for music, at an early age he developed a fondness for the violin and pianoforte music. He was given instruction on these instruments by graduates from the Leipzig and Copenhagen conservatories of music.
"He came to this country, directly to Davenport, at the age of 17 in 1882, and became influential in the music scene almost immediately. His first work in the United States was with the orchestra of a traveling minstrel company, but he was soon connected with the Great Western Band under the direction of H. Restorff, for about a year. Then in July of 1884, Professor Ernst Otto replaced Prof. Restorff as director and manager. In July of 1885, Ernst married Miss Hermina Lahrmann. He continued to perform individually, with small groups and with the Great Western Band through 1889. He provided solo and group concerts on the violin, cornet, trombone, and even the zither. In 1888, he was also the leader of the Union Band, and in 1890 led the new 50-piece Davenport Band and Orchestra.
"About 1890, he formed 'Otto's Orchestra," closely followed by "Otto's Band" and "Otto's Military Band" and sometimes "Otto's Orchestra and Military Band.' No matter the name or the members, Prof. Otto's band played hundreds of concerts over the years and he was heavily involved in the Turner activities, including the various Saengerfests. During his most active years, he conducted singing societies not only in the tri-cities, but also in Burlington, Muscatine, Peoria, Clinton, Dubuque. He was also district director of the Northwestern Saenger Bund, which met each year, as well as director of the Midwestern Saenger Bund. As an instrumentalist he gave instruction particularly in violin, cornet and piano.
"In the fall of 1897, Prof. Otto opened the Davenport Music School at 514 Brady Street. A one month course of instruction was offered for one dollar. It was Prof. Otto who directed the 55-member orchestra which opened the Schuetzen Park Music Pavilion on June 9, 1895. And it was Prof. Otto who directed the bands for the Laying of the Corner Stone of Davenport High School on June 19, 1905, and the formal opening of Fejervary Park on Sunday September 17, 1905. Prof. Otto continued leading bands throughout his entire life, including a series of concerts in August of 1938 as guest conductor with the 40-piece Peoria Municipal Band. Ernst Otto passed away of heart disease on April 2, 1939 at the age of 73."
Performing selections from Otto's vast repertoire on June 16, Marian Lee made her New York debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall as the 1995 winner of the Artist International Award. She went on to serve as a soloist and chamber performer in Italy, France, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Poland, Russia, Thailand, and Hong Kong, as well as in major cities throughout the United States. Lee has made numerous appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and performed an exclusive recital in the Hermitage Theater at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, and also played piano in a nationally televised broadcast from Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow. Additionally, Lee helped develop Moscow Nights, a first-time collaboration between the music and Russian-language departments at the University of Delaware, and served as president of the Delaware Music Teachers Association.
The 2024 Ernst Otto Piano Recital will take place in Davenport's Schuetzen Park on June 16, and the program will be narrated by Otto's great-granddaughter Nancy Dopler, who will provide insight into the composer's life and works, and share many stories about the compositions being performed. Admission to the 2 p.m. recital is free, refreshments will be served, and the recital is sponsored by the Schuetzenpark Gilde and the American/ Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page.
