Welcome to our 88th Season—Symphonic Spectrum! Starting in September, we’ll embark on a journey through the boundless colors, emotions and majesty of great, live orchestral music.
Triumph. Wisdom. Strength. Love. Reflection. Hope. Courage.
Together, we will explore these themes during our 7-program Masterworks series. Expect awe-inspiring performances, unforgettable soloists, and repertoire that spans the ages—from timeless masterpieces to bold contemporary works that challenge and inspire. Each carefully curated program will reveal a new hue of the symphonic palette, inviting us to listen, feel and connect with each other.
Pair our Masterworks 7 Package or Flex 4 Package with the Pops Concerts of your choice for the perfect season! Masterworks 7 subscribers save nearly 25% off single ticket prices, and Flex 4 subscribers receive a discount of nearly 20% with the flexibility to mix and match concerts in the way that best fits their lifestyle. Lock in your favorite seats at the best prices – Join the Symphony Family today!
2025-2026 MASTERWORKS SERIES
SEASON DEBUT: TRIUMPH – TCHAIKOVSKY 5The Harriet S. and J. Locke Macomber Concert
SAT SEP 27 7:30PM / SUN SEP 28 2:30PM / CIVIC CENTER
Shostakovich’s shining Festive Overture, filled with triumphant brass fanfares and woodwind virtuosity, opens the Symphony’s 88th Season. Eighth Blackbird, America’s groundbreaking sextet, explores the rhythmic vitality and color of Viet Cuong’s Vital Sines. Tchaikovsky’s lush and expressive Symphony No. 5, with its unforgettable “fate” motif, brings the Season Debut to a triumphant close.
WISDOM – DVOŘÁK 6 & CHOPIN SAT OCT 18 7:30PM / SUN OCT 19 2:30PM / CIVIC CENTER
This Masterworks program features rhythmic drive and virtuosic grandeur. Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s Chokfi, a vibrant, rhythmic work inspired by the trickster rabbit of Chickasaw legend, opens the concert. Czechoslovakia’s Lukáš Vondráček performs Chopin’s richly Romantic SecondPiano Concerto. Lushly orchestrated Czech folk music comes to life in Dvořák’s Sixth Symphony.
STRENGTH – SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS & EROICA
SAT NOV 22 7:30PM / SUN NOV 23 2:30PM / CIVIC CENTER
Vivid and emotional, the third program on our Masterworks series features the lively rhythms of Scottish folk music. Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances leads into Bruch’s virtuosic Scottish Fantasy, performed by American violinist Stefan Jackiw in his Des Moines debut. The concert closes with Beethoven’s triumphant masterpiece, the Eroica Symphony.
LOVE – ROMEO & JULIET The Lauridsen Guest ConductorSAT FEB 14 7:30PM / SUN FEB 15 2:30PM / CIVIC CENTER
Miguel Harth-Bedoya leads the Orchestra! The tragic romance of Shakespeare takes center stage over Valentine’s Day weekend in Tchaikovsky’s beautiful Romeo and Juliet. Sibelius captures the resilience and independence of the Finnish people in his Second Symphony. Anna Geniushene makes her Des Moines debut performing Ravel’s jazz-infused Piano Concerto in G Major.
REFLECTION – SMETANA & BEETHOVEN The Fred & Charlotte Hubbell Visiting Artist In Residence
SAT MAR 14 7:30PM / SUN MAR 15 2:30PM / CIVIC CENTER
Stella Chen returns to Des Moines for Beethoven’s lyrical Violin Concerto, one of the greatest violin concertos ever written. Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony masterfully showcases the composer’s bold orchestration and reflects his admiration for the city. The sweeping melodies of Smetana’s The Moldau from Má vlast closes the concert, taking audiences on a musical journey along the Vltava River from Prague to the Czech countryside.
HOPE – COPLAND & GERSHWIN
SAT APR 18 7:30PM / SUN APR 19 2:30PM / CIVIC CENTER
Two American musical icons meet on the sixth Masterworks program of the season. Copland’s Shaker-influenced Appalachian Spring and Gershwin’s jazz-infused An American in Paris bookend the concert. Heitzeg’s Symphony In Sculpture celebrates the Pappajohn Sculpture Park through its musical evocation of Des Moines’ favorite sculptures. Margaret Bonds’ Music from the Montgomery Variations reflects the struggles and triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement.
SEASON FINALE: COURAGE – ALPINE SYMPHONY
SAT MAY 9 7:30PM / SUN MAY 10 2:30PM / CIVIC CENTER
The Symphony’s Season Finale explodes with Richard Strauss and his monumental storytelling. The Symphony’s powerful brass section is on display, from the composer’s Vienna Philharmonic Fanfare to the cinematic grandeur of his Alpine Symphony featuring 34 brass. Amaryn Olmeda returns to Des Moines for Mendelssohn’s beautifully melodic Violin Concerto.
MASTERWORKS MAPS & PRICING
