City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (515) 280-4000

Address: 221 Walnut St.

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Description: A not-for-profit professional orchestra in operation since 1937, the Des Moines Symphony performs 6 pairs of Masterworks concerts annually and has played pieces by composers including Dvorak, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky. The symphony has over 75 musicians and is conducted by Maestro Joseph Giunta, who has conducted orchestras around the world and has been with the Des Moines Symphony since 1987. The symphony performs downtown at the Des Moines Civic Center, in a large auditorium that has good sight lines and acoustics. A well-attended New Year’s Eve pops concert has in recent years combined classical music with performances by circus acrobats. The annual Yankee Doodle Pops Concert, held right around the Fourth of July, takes place on the State Capitol grounds. Individual tickets cost from $15 to $70, with significant discounts available for students.