Common Chord (2nd and Main streets, Davenport) is inviting the public to a Block Party on Friday, June 2 from 5-8 p.m. to officially kick off its annual, free Live@Five Summer Concert Series as well as launch this year’s OneSound Piano Project.
“As we celebrate our 19th year in downtown Davenport, we are excited to be presenting another season of accessible community concerts through our Live@Five series,” Tyson Danner, Common Chord executive director, said in a news release. “We are proud to play such an important role in activating our downtown public spaces with engaging, homegrown programming.”
In addition to three local bands, the June 2 Block Party also will offer free children’s facepainting and animal balloons and will feature community cultural partners from across the Quad Cities, sharing information about their summer program offerings — Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Putnam Museum & Science Center, Figge Art Museum, Quad City Botanical Center, Quad City Arts, Davenport Parks & Recreation / Junior Theater, German American Heritage Center, Bix Jazz Society, Bix Beiderbecke Museum, Lincoln Center, Azubuike Arts Council, and Mississippi Valley Blues Society.
Each summer, the Skybridge Courtyard comes alive with live music by some of the QC’s best local bands, playing every Friday from 5-7 p.m., June through September, and is made possible by the generous support of Summer Concert Series Sponsors, the release said.
To access this year’s musical lineup, visit the Common Chord website HERE.
OneSound pianos are back
Following rave public reviews in its inaugural year, Common Chord’s OneSound Piano Project is back with additional locations this summer. Last year, Common Chord unveiled its creative placemaking program: OneSound. For 2023, the OneSound Piano Project has strategically placed 14 artist-designed pianos in iconic QC locations for the public to interact with, bringing more music, art, and interaction to our community’s public spaces.
OneSound is an initiative to put the soundtrack of today into the hands of our community by providing them with not only the idea of but the means to engage in creativity, and break down social barriers through music, Common Chord’s release said. This project builds community and long-term relationships with local businesses, local government, and organizations that go beyond the program.
“Common Chord is serious about activating the power of music to improve our community, and OneSound is a great way to do just that here in the Quad Cities,” said Steve Ahrens, director of strategic initiatives and OneSound program director. “How cool to bring people together in public spaces through music.”
In January of 2023, Common Chord put out a call for artists to design and paint additional pianos for the expanding program to be scattered across the QC. In addition to last year’s designs, the artists selected for the project this year were: Elizabeth Masterson, Sarah Robb, Amanda Stout, and Bill and Kevin Wohlford. This year, pianos will be placed at:
- Niabi Zoo (Coal Valley)
- Sound Conservatory (Rock Island)
- Freight House Farmers’ Market (Davenport)
- Quad Cities International Airport (Moline)
- Runner’s Park / Main Street (East Moline)
- Antique Archaeology (LeClaire)
- Quad City Botanical Center (Rock Island)
- Mercado on Fifth (Moline)
- VanderVeer Botanical Park (Davenport)
- QC Waterfront Convention Center (Bettendorf)
- Lincoln Center (Davenport)
- Bass Street Landing (Moline)
- Center for Active Seniors (Davenport)
- Redstone Building (Davenport)
Pianos will be in place beginning the week of June 5 and remaining until next May.
Partial support for the program comes from Supporting Program Sponsors, including the Iowa Arts Council, Quad City Arts, Pierce’s Promise, Davenport Riverfront Improvement Commission, QC International Airport, and Davenport Parks & Recreation.
More information on locations and artists is available at the OneSound project website HERE.
