Des Moines Symphony facts for kids

The Des Moines Symphony (DMSO) is a famous symphony orchestra from the United States. It is based in Des Moines, Iowa. An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play different instruments together. The current leader, called the conductor, is Joseph Giunta.

The Des Moines Symphony started in 1937. Back then, it was known as the Des Moines Civic Orchestra. This orchestra plays many types of concerts. They perform "Masterworks" concerts, which feature classical music. They also play "Pops" concerts, which include lighter, more popular tunes. One of their biggest events is "Yankee Doodle Pops." This is Iowa's largest single-day concert. The orchestra mainly performs at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. This building is located in downtown Des Moines.

History of the Symphony

How the Orchestra Began

The Des Moines Symphony began as the Des Moines Civic Orchestra. People in the community worked for ten years to create a lasting music group. Their first concert was on November 21, 1937. It took place at Hoyt Sherman Place. Musicians from the community and Drake University played together. Frank Noyes, a professor from Drake University, was the first conductor. He led the orchestra for 30 seasons!

Finding a Home for Music

In 1938, the orchestra moved its concerts to Theodore Roosevelt High School. They stayed there until 1948. Then, they moved to the KRNT Theater in downtown Des Moines. In 1954, concerts returned to Hoyt Sherman Place for three years. After that, in 1957, they moved to North High School.

Frank Noyes retired in 1967. After him, several conductors led the orchestra for a few years each. In 1974, Yuri Krasnapolsky became the new conductor. Around this time, the orchestra also started to become more independent. They ended their official ties with Drake University by 1974.

Growth and New Beginnings

Under Yuri Krasnapolsky, the orchestra grew a lot. For the 1977-78 season, the number of classical concerts doubled. They went from five concerts to six pairs of concerts. He also helped the orchestra move to its current home. In 1979, the Symphony moved to the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. This has been their main performance hall ever since. The classical season expanded again in 1982-83. It now has seven concert pairs, which means 14 performances.

Joseph Giunta's Leadership

Joseph Giunta became the conductor and music director in 1989. Under his leadership, the Des Moines Symphony has become very well-known. It is now considered one of the best regional orchestras in the country. They perform many types of concerts regularly. These include Masterworks, Pops, Family, and Education Concerts. They also play for special events.

In 2003, the Des Moines Symphony Academy was created. This Academy is a music school. It is a big part of the Symphony's mission. Only a few American orchestras have their own music academies. The Symphony and the Academy together are now the largest employer of professional artists in Iowa. In 2012, the Academy had 410 students learning music.

All of the Masterworks programs are broadcast on Iowa Public Radio. This means people all over Iowa can listen to their amazing performances.