What Des Moines Symphony does

The Des Moines Symphony is a nonprofit professional orchestra founded in 1937 and headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, serving the Central Iowa community through three integrated lines of activity. The core performance program delivers the Masterworks Series (classical repertoire) and the Pops Series (popular arrangements) at the Civic Center for Performing Arts, anchored by flagship events including the annual Yankee Doodle Pops Independence Day concert (now in its 32nd year). The wholly owned Des Moines Symphony Academy, established in 2003, provides year-round music education through private lessons, the Beginning Strings Program (ages 4-7), six youth ensembles spanning Grades 1-12, and summer classes/camps, serving nearly 400-450 students weekly at The Temple for Performing Arts (1011 Locust Street). A digital extension layer was added in 2020 with the launch of DMSO at Home (educational videos, musician profiles, family concerts) and password-protected Vimeo-based Livestream Concerts with 30-day on-demand availability across Smart TV, AppleTV, Firestick, and Roku.

The organization monetizes through four streams: concert ticket sales and season subscriptions (Masterworks and Pops), Academy tuition, donations and contributions (individual giving, corporate sponsorships, planned and endowment giving), and merchandise sales via an online store. Need-based scholarships, offered with multilingual application access (English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Burmese), remove financial barriers to Academy participation. Distribution is regional, with all programs anchored in the Des Moines market; the marketing mix relies on email newsletters, organic social, and themed family concert partnerships with regional cultural institutions including Blank Park Zoo, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, the Science Center of Iowa, and the Des Moines Art Center.

Governance is led by Music Director and Conductor Maestro Joseph Giunta, Managing Director of the Academy Joshua Barlage, Director of Operations and Principal Percussionist Aaron Williams, and a small staff. There is no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML capability; the technology stack is principally a Vimeo-based streaming platform integrated with consumer TV casting devices. Audience engagement is extended through themed family concerts, multimedia film commissions (Symphony in Sculpture I-III), and community partnerships with youth choirs and civic institutions.

Name

Des Moines Symphony

Legal name

Des Moines Symphony

Website

https://dmsymphony.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Des Moines Symphony is a 1937-founded nonprofit professional orchestra in Central Iowa delivering Masterworks and Pops concerts, a year-round Symphony Academy serving ~400-450 weekly students through private lessons and six youth ensembles, need-based scholarships, and digital extensions including Livestream concerts and DMSO at Home content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Concert Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual concert tickets, season subscriptions (Masterworks Series, Pops Series), and special event tickets including Yankee Doodle Pops
2. Education Tuition: Tuition fees for Symphony Academy programs including private lessons, group lessons (Beginning Strings Program), youth ensembles, and summer classes and camps
3. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, and endowment contributions through various giving programs
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Symphony merchandise through the online store

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Des Moines Symphony is a nonprofit professional orchestra that produces live symphonic concert performances (Masterworks Series, Pops Series, Yankee Doodle Pops) and operates the Symphony Academy, a community music school offering private lessons, group instruction, youth ensembles, classes and camps to nearly 400 students weekly. The organization additionally delivers digital content and password-protected livestream concert access through the Virtual Concert Hall.

Product overview

The Des Moines Symphony is a regional orchestra offering live concert performances through its Masterworks and Pops Series programs. The organization operates the Symphony Academy, a comprehensive music education division providing instruction to nearly 400 students weekly through multiple programs including private lessons, group lessons (Beginning Strings Program), and six youth ensembles. The organization has expanded into digital content with DMSO at Home, an online platform featuring videos, livestreamed concerts, and educational content. Concert tickets and subscriptions are available through subscription series, with additional revenue from merchandise sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Concert Performances (Masterworks & Pops Series) Live orchestral concert performances presented at the Civic Center for Performing Arts, including the Masterworks Series of classical symphonic repertoire and the Pops Series with popular music arrangements. Tickets available via single purchase or Masterworks/Pops subscription tiers; special events include the annual Yankee Doodle Pops Independence Day concert.
• Symphony Academy The Symphony Academy is the Symphony's community music school, hosting nearly 400 students weekly at The Temple for Performing Arts through private lessons, group lessons (Beginning Strings Program), youth ensembles, classes and camps. Need-based scholarships are offered.
• Private Lessons Individual music instruction on violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, trumpet, percussion and piano for students ages 3 through adulthood, taught by faculty including Des Moines Symphony Orchestra musicians.
• Group Lessons (Beginning Strings Program) Group introductory violin instruction for ages 4-7 in weekly 45-minute classes across Fall, Winter/Spring and Summer semesters at The Temple for Performing Arts, with need-based scholarships available.
• Youth Ensembles Six graded youth ensembles (Preludio Strings, Youth Sinfonia, Youth Philharmonic, Youth Symphony, Youth Wind Ensemble and Youth Jazz Orchestra) serving student musicians in Grades 1-12 and providing advanced ensemble performance experience under professional mentorship.
• Livestream Concerts (Virtual Concert Hall) Password-protected live virtual concert broadcasts from the Civic Center for Performing Arts, accessible via website and viewable on Smart TV, AppleTV, Firestick or Roku, with on-demand replay available for 30 days after broadcast.
• Need-Based Scholarships Tuition assistance in the form of need-based scholarships for Symphony Academy students participating in private lessons, classes or ensembles, available to applicants regardless of color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability. Application forms provided in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Burmese.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Heartland Youth ChoirminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Heartland Youth Choir joined the Symphony for Symphony in Sculpture III, collaborating in the final movement featuring Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture
• Blank Park ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily concert partnership resulting in live performances at the zoo venue
• Greater Des Moines Botanical GardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for family concerts created in partnership with the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
• Science Center of IowaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily concert partnership titled 'Science + Music' featuring collaborative programming
• Des Moines Art CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily concert partnership 'Art + Music' hosted by Amanda Drish featuring Symphony musicians and art creation activities
• Animal Rescue League of IowaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily concert partnership during the COVID-19 period featuring themed performances

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kansas City Symphony: Regional professional symphony serving the Kansas City metro with a comparable mix of Masterworks/Pops-style subscription series and youth orchestra/education programs, making it a close operational peer.
• Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: Long-established midwest regional symphony with subscription series, pops programming, and youth orchestras — comparable in scope to Des Moines Symphony though somewhat larger.
• Oregon Symphony: Regional symphony with comparable subscription programming, education/youth orchestra programming, and community engagement — directly comparable in operational profile to Des Moines Symphony.
• Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra: Midwest regional symphony with a substantial education and youth orchestra division (ISO Music Discovery, Metropolitan Youth Orchestra) — directly comparable in combining professional concerts with a large pre-college pipeline.
• Nashville Symphony: Regional symphony with subscription series, special events, and education programs comparable in mission and revenue mix to Des Moines Symphony, though serving a larger metro.
• Columbus Symphony: Regional symphony in a comparable mid-size U.S. metro with subscription concert programming and youth orchestra/education programs, making it a direct comparable in scale and mission.
• Omaha Symphony: Regional professional symphony in nearby Omaha, NE — directly comparable mid-size midwest metropolitan orchestra with analogous concert programming and education programs serving a similar audience profile.
• Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra: Regional professional symphony running classical and pops series alongside a sizable youth and education program, structurally aligned with Des Moines Symphony's operations.
• Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra: Regional midwest symphony running subscription series plus an extensive education/community engagement program, structurally analogous to Des Moines Symphony's concert-plus-Academy model.

Broad incumbents

• Minnesota Orchestra: Larger, more internationally prominent midwest orchestra with subscription series, education programs, and digital initiatives — a broader incumbent in the same regional orchestra category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dmsymphony
• Xx.com/dmsymphony
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/des-moines-symphony-and-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Des Moines Symphony