Civic Music Association
Celebrating over 95 years of amazing music! Civic Music Association presented its first concert in 1925, featuring the Kibalchich Russian Symphonic Choir. A performance by the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (now known as The Minnesota Orchestra) followed. Soon performing arts luminaries such as Sergei Rachmaninoff were visiting Des Moines.
At a time before the founding of the Des Moines Symphony (1937) and the Des Moines Metro Opera (1973), CMA ensured that major national and international orchestras, chamber ensembles, soloists, and opera and dance companies could be seen and heard in Des Moines. We continue that legacy today, bringing the legends and rising stars of jazz and chamber music to central Iowa.
Take a few minutes to scroll through our season history. You might be surprised by what you find!
1925-1930
1925-1926
- Kibalchich Russian Symphonic Choir
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
- Jacques Gordon
- Dusolina Giannini
- Hinshaw Operatic Ensemble
1926-1927
- Manhattan Opera Company
- Claire Dux and Lauritz Melchior
- Mischa Levitzki
- Harry Farbman
1927-1928
- Sophie Breslau and Joseph Szigeti
- NY String Quartet and Wanda Landowska
- Hans Kindler and Gitta Gradova
- Beggars Opera (Original London Cast)
- Feodor Chaliapin
1928-1929
- Guy Maier and Lee Pattison
- Prague Teachers Chorus
- Bohn Ballet
- Mary Lewis
- Rene Chamet and Barre Hill
1929-1930
- Hans Kindler and Gitta Gradova
- Richard Crooks
- Russian Don Cossack Choir
- Alfred Cortot and Jacques Thibaud
- Florence Austral
- London String Quartet
1930-1940
1932-1933
- Sergei Rachmaninoff
- Roth Quartet
- Coe Glade
- Paul Kochanski
1933-1934
- Molitore-Tentare
- Budapest Quartet
- Myra Hess
- John Charles Thomas
- Nathan Milstein
1934-1935
- Benno Rabinof
- Grete Stückgold
- St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Monnier and Cozzi
- Egon Petri
1937-1938
- John Charles Thomas
- Josef Hofmann
- Nathan Milstein
- St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
1938-1939
- Ballet Russell Jensen
- St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Lotte Lehmann
- Bartlett and Robertson
1939-1940
- Ezio Pinza
- Busch and Serkin
- Artur Rubinstein
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
1940-1950
1940-1941
- Russian Don Cossack Choir
- Jarmila Novotná
- Joseph Szigeti
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
1941-1942
- Alexander Kipnis
- Yehudi Menuhin
- Rudolf Serkin
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
1942-1943
- Thomas L. Thomas
- Kolisch Quartet
- Claudio Arrau
- Gladys Swarthout
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
1943-1944
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
- Ballet Theater
- Vladimir Horowitz
- Jan Peerce
1944-1945
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
- Bidú Sayão
- Zino Francescatti
- Artur Rubinstein
1945-1946
- Robert Casadesus
- Gregor Piatigorsky
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
- Igor Gorin
1950-1960
1950-1951
- Astrid Varnay
- St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Gold and Fizdale
- Giuseppe Di Stefano
- Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
- Ballet Theatre
- Artur Rubenstein
1951-1952
- Cleveland Orchestra
- Ballet Theatre
- Robert Shaw Chorale
- Michael Rabin
- Kirsten Flagstad
- Guiomar Novaes
1952-1953
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Robert Merrill
- Ballet Theatre
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
- William Kapell
- Victoria de los Ángeles
1954-1955
- Roberta Peters
- De Paur Infantry Chorus
- Tossy Spivakovsky
- Rose Bampton
- Ballet Theatre
- Detroit Symphony Orchestra
1955-1956
- Santa Cecilia Choir
- Blanche Thebom
- Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
- Alexander Brailowsky
- St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Gregor Piatigorsky
1956-1957
- National Swedish Choir
- Vronsky and Babin
- Ballet Russe
- Nathan Milstein
- Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
- Eileen Farrell
1957-1958
- Leonard Warren
- Ruggiero Ricci
- Byron Janis
- National Ballet Canada
- Roger Wagner Chorale
- Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
1958-1959
- Danish National Orchestra
- Jean Madeira
- Ruth Slenczynska
- George London
- St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Chicago Opera Ballet
1959-1960
- Adele Addison
- Géza Anda
- János Starker
- José Greco Dancers
- Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra
- Dallas Symphony Orchestra
1960-1970
1960-1961
- Vronsky and Babin
- Chicago Little Symphony
- National Ballet of Canada
- Joyce Flissler
- Minneapolis Symphony
- Irmgard Seefried
1961-1962
- Goldovsky Theatre Opera
- Richard Tucker
- Malcolm Frager
- Leonard Rose
- San Francisco Ballet
- Dallas Symphony Orchestra
1962-1963
- National Ballet of Canada
- Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
- Nicolai Gedda
- Roger Wagner Chorale
- John Browning
- Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
1965-1966
- Cleveland Orchestra
- Gina Bachauer
- Shirley Verrett
- Grand Ballet de France
- John and Richard Contiguglia
- Henryk Szeryng
- Jan Peerce
1966-1967
- Jerome Hines
- Goldovsky Opera Theatre
- Isaac Stern
- Vladimir Ashkenazy
- Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
1967-1968
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Itzhak Perlman
- Roger Wagner Chorale
- Philadelphia Chamber Symphony
- Roberta Peters
- Gina Bachauer
1970-1980
1972-1973
- Gary Graffman and Leonard Rose
- Gregg Smith Singers
- Birgit Nilsson
- Minnesota Orchestra
- Alicia de Larrocha
1973-1974
- Whittemore and Lowe
- Virgil Fox
- Juilliard String Quartet
- Denver Symphony Orchestra
- New York Pro Musica
1974-1975
- New York Brass Quintet
- Lili Kraus
- Vienna Choir Boys
- Orchestra of St. John’s Smith Square
- Beverly Sills
1977-1978
- Tokyo String Quartet
- Sherrill Milnes
- Norman Luboff Choir
- Ruth Slenczynska
- Franz Liszt Orchestra of Budapest
1978-1979
- Garrick Ohlsson
- The World of Gilbert and Sullivan
- Joffrey II Dancers
- Beaux Arts Trio
- Eugene Fodo
1979-1980
- Isaac Stern
- Lazar Berman
- Marilyn Horne
- Jean-Pierre Rampal and Alexandre Lagoya
- St. Paul Chamber Orchestra
1980-1990
1980-1981
- Alicia de Larrocha
- Simon Estes
- Nathaniel Rosen
- Canadian Brass
- Texas Opera Theater
1981-1982
- Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
- Smithsonian Jazz Repertory Ensemble
- Shirley Verrett
- Emanuel Ax
- Pinchas and Eugenia Zukerman
1982-1983
- Andre-Michel Schub
- Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble
- Emerson String Quartet
- Canadian Brass Quintet
- Dresden State Orchestra
- Santiago Rodriguez
1985-1986
- Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
- Paula Robison and Ruth Laredo
- Bella Davidovich and Dmitry Sitkovetsky
- Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
- Cecile Licad
1986-1987
- Ensemble for Early Music
- Jeffrey Siegel
- Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra of Budapest
- Lynn Harrell and Rudolf Firkusny
- Simon Estes and Roberta Alexander
- Juilliard String Quartet
1987-1988
- Katia and Marielle Labèque
- New York Vocal Arts Ensemble
- Israel Chamber Orchestra
- Isaac Stern
- André Watts
- Empire Brass Quintet
1988-1989
- State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR
- Elmar Oliveira and Horacio Gutierrez
- Richard Stoltzman with Bill Douglas
- Eddie Gomez and John Pearson
- Ursula Oppens
- Berlin Chamber Orchestra
- Mirecourt Trio
1989-1990
- Nikolais and Louis Dance
- Shlomo Mintz
- Earl Wild
- Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Octet
- Wynton Marsalis
1990-2000
1992-1993
- Prague Chamber Orchestra
- Empire Brass
- Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and Cecile Licad
- Christopher Parkening
- Billy Taylor Trio
1993-1994
- New York Philomusica
- Frederica von Stade
- Gustav Rivinius
- Orchester der Beethovenhalle Bonn
- Marcus Roberts Trio
1994-1995
- Summit Brass
- Manhattan String Quartet
- Newport Jazz Festival on Tour
- Boys Choir of Harlem
- Horacio Gutiérrez
1997-1998
- Manhattan String Quartet
- Vienna Choir Boys
- Canadian Brass
- Christopher Parkening and Jubilant Sykes
- Chick Corea and Gary Burton
1998-1999
- Quartetto Gelato
- Frederic Chiu
- Scottish Chamber Orchestra
- Yellowjackets
- Parsons Dance Company with Phil Woods Little Big Band
1999-2000
- Joshua Bell, Edgar Meyer, Sam Bush and Mike Marshall
- The Romeros
- James Galway and the Safri Duo
- Eliane Elias
- Young Concert Artist Trio
2000-2010
2004-2005
- Nnenna Freelon
- Benny Green
- The Christian Howes Group
- Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
- Ying Quartet
2005-2006
- Sérgio and Odair Assad
- Fred Hersch
- Ramsey Lewis Trio
- Chanticleer
- Brentano String Quartet
- Angela M. Brown
2006-2007
- Chanticleer
- Hot Club of San Francisco
- Baltimore Consort
- Kenny Barron
- Dianne Reeves
- Nathan Gunn
- Caitlin Tully
2007-2008
- Borealis Wind Quintet
- Turtle Island Quartet
- Joe Lovano Nonet
- Ruby Hinds
- The Dr. Michael White Quartet
- Ahn Trio
2008-2009
- Regina Carter
- Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble
- Andreas Klein
- John Pizzarelli
- Byron Stripling Quartet
- Georgia Guitar Quartet
2009-2010
- Mark O’Connor’s Appalachia Waltz Trio
- Kurt Elling
- Vienna Boys Choir
- Russell Malone Quartet
- The Poulenc Trio
- Jackie Ryan
2010-2020
2010-2011
- Esperanza Spalding
- Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet
- Boston Brass & the Brass All-Stars Band
- Chris Potter’s Underground
- Cantus
- Wycliffe Gordon
2011-2012
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band
- Emerson String Quartet
- Oasis Quartet
- Karrin Allyson
- Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
- Poncho Sanchez & his Latin Jazz Band
2012-2013
- Shuffle.Play.Listen. with Christopher O’Riley & Matt Haimovitz
- Christian McBride & Inside Straight
- Ninety Miles featuring Stefon Harris, Nicholas Payton and David Sanchez
- Anonymous 4
- Jim Hall Trio
- Miro Quartet with Collin Currie
2013-2014
- Joshua Redman Quartet with Aaron Goldberg, Reuben Rogers & Gregory Hutchinson
- New York Voices
- The Soul Rebels
- Canadian Brass
- Imani Winds
- Kenny Barron & Dave Holland Duo
- Goldstein-Peled-Fiterstein Trio
- The 2013 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist, Vadym Kholodenko
2014-2015
- Philip Glass
- Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
- Fifth House Ensemble
- Béla Fleck & Brooklyn Rider
- Spanish Harlem Orchestra
- Nnenna Freelon & Earl Klugh
- Delfeayo Marsalis Quartet
- Kurt Elling & the Turner Center Jazz Orchestra
- Vladimir Feltsman
2015-2016
- Turtle Island Quartet and Cyrus Chestnut
- Cécile McLorin Salvant
- Joey DeFrancesco Quartet
- Calmus
- Dalí Quartet
- Gregory Porter
- Bria Skonberg Quartet
- Jeremy Denk
2016-2017
- Sarah Chang
- Manhattan Transfer & Take 6
- Canadian Brass
- Aaron Diehl Quartet with Warren Wolf
- Jazz 100, feat. Lizz Wright, Chris Potter, Avishai Cohen, Danilo Pérez & Wycliffe Gordon
- Ensemble Dal Niente
- Matt Haimovitz
2017-2018
- Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble
- David Sanborn
- Time for Three
- Cyrille Aimée
- Delfeayo Marsalis
- The Lysander Trio with Charles Neidich
- Eighth Blackbird
2018-2019
- Ramsey Lewis & Ann Hampton Callaway
- Emanuel Ax
- Hot Club of San Francisco
- Julian Lage Trio
- Veronica Swift and the Benny Green Trio
- Fauré Quartett
- Sybarite5
2019-2020
- The Sphinx Virtuosi
- Harlem 100 featuring Mwenso and the Shakes
- Cantus
- Jazzmeia Horn
- Carion Wind Quintet
- Anderson and Roe Piano Duo*
- Emmet Cohen Trio with Houston Person*
*Virtual concerts due to coronavirus pandemic.
2020-2021
Get Music, Get Happy Hour Series*
- Emmet Cohen
- Emmet Cohen & Benny Bennack III
- Aaron Diehl
- Tessa Lark & Michael Thurber
- Jasper Dütz & Hannah Marks
- SHEVELIA
- Evan Christopher & David Torkanowsky
- Boyd Meets Girl
- Barb Nish & Joyce Templeman
- Laila Biali
- Invoke Quartet
- NOLA Jazz Band
- Quiana Lynell
- Brandon Ridenour & João Luiz
- Royal Wood
2020-2021 Continued
Play On Series*
- Accordo
- All In
- Midori
- Kurt Elling
- Olga Kern
- Tom Scott Quintet
- The Juilliard String Quartet
- Aldo Lópen-Gavilán & Ilmar Gavilán
*Virtual concerts due to coronavirus pandemic.
2021-2022
- Yefim Bronfman, Lauridsen Great Pianists Series
- Take 6, Nnenna Freelon & Clint Holmes: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles
- Canadian Brass: Making Spirits Bright
- Sean Jones Quartet
- Brooklyn Rider: Healing Modes
- Bessie, Billie, Nina: Pioneering Women in Jazz
- Tessa Lark & Michael Thurber
2022-2023
- Fischoff Competition Wind Division Gold Medalists: Mixed Media
- The Manhattan Transfer & DIVA Jazz Orchestra: 50th Anniversary & Final World Tour
- Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn
- Cantus: Carols of our Time
- Garrick Ohlsson, Lauridsen Great Pianists Series
- Aizuri Quartet with clarinetist Kinan Azmeh
- Benny Benack III Quartet
2023-2024
- Alfred Rodriguez Trio
- Pat Metheny
- Fischoff
- Chuck Owen and ReSurgence
- Roomful of Teeth
- Dallas Brass
- Helene Grimaud
- Blind Boys of Alabama
- Anat Cohen and Marcello Goncalves
2024-2025
- Kurt Elling with Joey Calderazzo
- Brandon Patrick George & Aaron Diehl
- Magos Herrera
- The King’s Singers
- Aizuri Quartet + Ballet Des Moines
- Nobuyuki Tsujii (NOBU)
- Sona Jobarteh