The Zappa Orchester Hamm was founded in 2015 by Bernd Kortenkamp for a concert marking the 75th anniversary of the Städtische Musikschule Hamm (Hamm Municipal Music School). At the time, Kortenkamp was the head of the plucked-instruments department at the music school and had long been a devoted fan of Frank Zappa’s music.
Since the music school was founded in the same year that Frank Zappa was born, it seemed only fitting to him that a Zappa concert should be part of the anniversary celebrations. To this end, he arranged numerous Zappa songs for a large ensemble of 30 musicians.
Initially, it remained a one-off event, held on October 31, 2015, at the Kurhaus Hamm. Although Bernd Kortenkamp hoped to continue the project in the years that followed, his plans were thwarted by financial constraints and, later, the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Bernd Kortenkamp’s passing in 2022, the musicians who had played in the 2015 orchestra—recalling what a fantastic experience it had been—decided to organize a revival in February 2023 as a memorial concert for their former colleague. The event was so enjoyable for everyone involved that the project was brought back to life.
Since then, the new director, Stephan Wolke, has carried the initiative forward, regularly arranging additional Zappa songs for the established ensemble. The group now boasts a repertoire of nearly four hours and a steadily growing community of followers. Frank Zappa’s music continues to inspire and captivate audiences today.
Especially when it is performed by 30 professional musicians.All of the musicians have some form of connection to the Hamm Municipal Music School.
In December 2025, another concert at the Kurhaus Hamm was recorded in both audio and video. The first video, featuring the two songs “Florentine Pogen” and “Dancin’ Fool,” was released in May 2026. More videos will follow…
Our dream is to present a complete performance of “The Yellow Shark” in a few years’ time. After all, another anniversary is bound to come along…
