About River Music Experience
River Music Experience: Building a Vibrant Local Music Scene in the Quad Cities
The River Music Experience is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting and supporting music in the Quad Cities. Founded in 2004, the organization has been on a mission to build a vibrant local music scene and give everyone access to music.
The Quad Cities, located on the Mississippi River, is home to over 400,000 people spread across five cities - Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline in Illinois. Despite its size and diversity of population, the area has struggled with creating a cohesive music community that can support local musicians.
That's where River Music Experience comes in. The organization offers a range of programs designed to promote music education, performance opportunities for local musicians of all ages and skill levels as well as events that bring together artists from different genres.
One of their flagship programs is called "Sound Lab," which provides young musicians with access to professional equipment and guidance from experienced mentors. This program helps aspiring artists develop their skills while also giving them an opportunity to perform live at various venues throughout the Quad Cities.
Another program offered by River Music Experience is "Live@Five," which brings together local bands for free outdoor concerts every Friday evening during summer months. These concerts are held at Schwiebert Park on the banks of Mississippi riverfront providing an excellent opportunity for families or friends looking for some entertainment after work or school.
In addition to these programs aimed at nurturing young talent within our community; they also offer workshops focused on songwriting techniques or recording technology so that even established musicians can continue honing their craft.
River Music Experience also hosts several annual events such as Bix Jazz Festival which attracts thousands of visitors each year who come out enjoy jazz performances by world-renowned artists alongside talented locals showcasing their skills too!
Their commitment towards building up our local music scene has not gone unnoticed either! In 2019 alone they were awarded two grants totaling $50k from National Endowment for Arts (NEA) recognizing their efforts towards promoting arts education through innovative programming initiatives like Sound Lab & Live@Five series among others!
Overall if you're looking for an organization committed towards building up your community's musical culture then look no further than River Music Experience! With its wide range of programs catering both beginners & professionals alike there's something here everyone interested in exploring this art form further!
rivermusicexperience.org
