Welcome to our 86th Season!
You’ll discover tour-de-force performances by dazzling soloists, awe-inspiring new works, and heartwarming interpretations of beloved classics. At each Masterworks concert, you’ll hear bold new works by contemporary composers alongside all-time favorites, including Grieg’s evocative Piano Concerto, Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue, and Beethoven’s joyous and victorious Ninth Symphony.
You’ll be on the edge of your seat as Cirque performers captivate audiences with spellbinding aerials and acrobatics. A full rock band joins the Symphony for Hotel California: The Music of the Eagles. And Hamilton’s Renee Elise Goldsberry takes the Civic Center stage for a one-night-only Des Moines’ performance!
Discover the experience. Discover the community. Discover the World of Music. We can't wait to see you at the Symphony!
2023-2024 MASTERWORKS SEASON
SEASON DEBUT: DISCOVER FANDANGO The Harriet S. and J. Locke Macomber Concert Anne Akiko Meyers, called “a national treasure” by the San Diego Union-Tribune, returns to Des Moines in a tour de force performance of Arturo Marquez’s Fandango. Let the rhythms and dance music of Mexico and Spain take you on a musical journey at the Symphony’s Season Debut! (Sep 23 & 24, 2023)
- DISCOVER SCHEHERAZADECheers to sound! Award-winning ensemble Sandbox Percussion makes its Des Moines debut with Viet Cuong's enthralling Re(new)al. Rimsky-Korsakov's sumptuous suite Scheherazade, inspired by stories of the legendary heroine, brings the concert to a dazzling close. (Oct 21 & 22, 2023)
- DISCOVER FREEDOMGrammy-nominated Joyce Yang returns to Des Moines in a showcase of Grieg’s beloved Piano Concerto. Works by Glinka and Florence Price span human emotion, from heroic and exuberant to heartfelt and tender. Shostakovich’s tragicomic Symphony No. 9, a cynical critique of the political and artistic oppression experienced in Stalinist Soviet Russia, closes the concert. (Nov 18 & 19, 2023)
- DISCOVER GROUNDBREAKING INNOVATION Renowned conductor Keith Lockhart, known for his tenure with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops, leads the Orchestra in Bartok’s groundbreaking Concerto for Orchestra and Barber’s gorgeous Violin Concerto, performed by prodigy Amaryn Olmeda. (Feb 3 & 4, 2024)
- DISCOVER GERSHWIN Award-winning pianist Michelle Cann makes her Des Moines debut performing George Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue, framed by Grammy-nominated composer Carlos Simon’s Gospel-inspired Amen! and César Franck’s soaring Symphony in D Minor. (Mar 9 & 10, 2024)
- DISCOVER SYMPHONIC DANCE Ballet meets break-dance! Stars of the Midwest, the BRKFST Dance Company joins the Symphony to perform their original choreography to Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge. BRKFST Dance Company combines break dancing with contemporary dance for an experience unlike anything else. Selections from Tchaikovsky, Ravel and Prokofiev ballets round out the performance. (Apr 13 & 14, 2024)
- SEASON FINALE: (RE)DISCOVER THE ODE TO JOY Our 86th Season Finale begins with Suppe’s driving and exciting Pique Dame, or “Queen of Spades,” Overture. Valerie Coleman’s UMOJA, Anthem of Unity, explores the meaning of human endeavor. Finally, re-discover the elation of Beethoven’s immortal Ninth Symphony as 150 voices become one with the Symphony in a triumphant “Ode to Joy.” (May 11 & 12, 2024)
Seven-Concert Masterworks Subscription
Experience timeless masterpieces and world-renowned guest artists in seven Classical programs performed on Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sunday afternoons at 2:30pm. Seven-concert Masterworks packages guarantee the best seats at the best prices!
Four-Concert Flex Pack
Compose your own season! Flex pack subscribers receive four ticket vouchers to be used in any combination at our Masterworks concerts. Choose your concerts when ordering or opt to receive vouchers – just exchange them for tickets at least one week prior to the concert you would like to attend. Vouchers can be redeemed in person at the Civic Center Ticket Office, or by calling 515.246.2300.
