“Hamburg-on-Mississippi: Davenport's Germans & the Musical Mecca of the West" at the German American Heritage Center -- June 28.
Sunday, June 28, 1:30 p.m.
German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street, Davenport IA
Local history, 19th-century innovations, and figurative and literal harmony will blend at the German American Heritage Center on June 28 in the Davenport venue's Hamburg-on-Mississippi: Davenport's Germans & the Musical Mecca of the West, with Davenport native Gates Thomas delivering this latest presentation in the popular “Kaffee und Kuchen” series.
From Davenport's earliest days as a frontier river town, its residents displayed a marked musical sensibility, which crescendoed to a passion upon the arrival of Davenport’s first German settlers in the 1840s. These new arrivals hungered for the rich musical experience they had taken for granted in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Possessing the know-how to systematically train musicians; organize, build, and run musical groups and endeavors; and solicit and appeal to the public for support, the Germans set about to do so, to the awe and delight of their fellow Davenporters.
By the early 20th century, though its population was only 40,000, Davenport had a vibrant, diversified economic base which made it one of the most prosperous cities in the nation, able to nurture and support a multitude of musical organizations as well as hundreds of professional musicians in orchestras, bands, choirs, and chamber ensembles. Hamburg-on-Mississippi: Davenport's Germans & the Musical Mecca of the West will outline the features of this advanced musical ecosystem, built largely by Davenport’s Germans, which made the establishment of a civic symphony orchestra a possibility.
Program presenter Gates Thomas is a freelance composer, arranger and music director. Born and raised in Davenport, he was based in New York City for 25 years, writing for the Lionel Hampton Big Band, Bobby McFerrin, Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Jim Hall, Chris Willis, the New American Orchestra, and many others. Since moving back to Davenport in October 2020, Gates has maintained his freelance career, and continues to serve as Professor of Contemporary Writing and Production at Berklee College of Music in Boston. In November of 2022, he assumed duties as music director of the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of the Quad-Cities, and in November of 2024, Gates was appointed Executive and Artistic Director of Davenport’s Deanery School of Music.
Hamburg-on-Mississippi: Davenport's Germans & the Musical Mecca of the West will be presented at Davenport's German American Heritage Center on June 28, with refreshments for this “Kaffee und Kuchen” event served at 1:30 p.m. and the program beginning at 2 p.m. Guests are welcome to bring their own mugs if they wish; disposable cups are provided, but mugs from home will help the venue reduce waste. Participation is free for Heritage Center members and $8 for non-members, and more information is available by calling (563)322-8844 and visiting GAHC.org.
