Written by Sara Judson Brown
In 1925, three Des Moines women realized they were tired of having to travel to other cities to see first-rate classical musical performances. So the friends—Elsa Neumann, Gertrude Shloss and a “Mrs. Arthur Cowles” (whose first name appears to be lost to history)—decided to launch an organization that would bring top performers to Des Moines.
Named Civic Music Association (CMA), the organization grew to be a major cultural force in Greater Des Moines and today continues to consistently draw pre-eminent talent from around the world. Through the decades, CMA also has helped young musicians fine-tune their craft, cultivating new audiences in the process.
This spring, CMA will jump-start its 90th anniversary celebration by kicking off its 2014-2015 season early: On April 6, internationally acclaimed composer Philip Glass (pictured) will perform a piano concert at Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium. Glass has composed more than 20 operas, eight symphonies, soundtracks to Oscar-winning films such as “The Hours” and numerous other works.
Two days before, on April 4, the 89th season will close with a performance by pianist Vadym Kholodenko, the 2013 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist. Then on April 5, a public symposium with Philip Glass will include classical music leaders from across the state.
“The goal of the symposium is accessibility,” says Carrie Clogg, CMA’s executive director. “We will be encouraging students to attend and ask questions, not only of Philip Glass, but also of other leaders in the community.” She adds that she hopes the symposium fosters “an open discussion about the state of this genre of music.”
The season will continue with its traditional fall and winter concert schedule of eight performances—four classical and four jazz—beginning in September.
As the oldest cultural organization in Des Moines, CMA continues to shape the arts scene in Central Iowa in much the same way it did at its beginning. By the end of the first few seasons, the association had arranged for performances by such blue-chip artists as the London String Quartet, Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff, and opera star Marian Anderson.
Clogg believes CMA’s ability to consistently present some of the world’s premier performers, combined with the group’s programming, such as Partners in Music Education, has helped the organization remain relevant through the generations. The education programs are offered free to the community and give young musicians the opportunity to learn from the masters.
“To me that’s the most valuable thing we are doing for this community,” Clogg says. “When I’m with the artists and see the impact that they have on students, it’s just incredible.”
For decades, CMA hosted only classical music performances, but in the 2000–2001 season, the association’s board decided to add jazz to its concert lineup. Now, the season is split evenly between jazz and classical music.
As the interest in jazz has grown, CMA’s patron base has expanded to include more college students and young professionals, Clogg says. The association has met that growing demand by bringing in top jazz artists such as trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. It also has increased its efforts to collaborate with other arts organizations. For example, this past November, CMA partnered with the Greater Des Moines Music Coalition to present the Soul Rebels, a New Orleans-based brass band that fuses jazz, funk, hip-hop, soul and rock, at Wooly’s in the East Village as part of the coalition’s 2013 Little BIG Fest.
“I find it really remarkable that such an established organization that’s been around for so long is always looking to innovate,” says Chris Ford, administrator of the Greater Des Moines Music Coalition. “They are definitely trying out some new tricks, which is great, especially when no one else is doing what they are doing in our community.”
The association also has partnered with other organizations, including the Des Moines Symphony Academy, the Des Moines Public Library, Drake University and the Belin Quartet.
Through the years, Clogg says, these partnerships have helped CMA offer its patrons more than just great musical performances.
“At our last concert, a patron said something that really resonated with me: ‘When I come to a Civic Music Association concert, I’m not just coming to a concert; I’m having an entire experience,’ ” Clogg says. “When he said that to me, he made me proud because that’s what we’re really striving to do—create an experience.”
1925
Civic Course is founded on June 30. The name is changed to Civic Music Association later that same year. During the first year, a subscription, which included five concerts, cost $5. Today, the price of a gold-level subscription is $290 and includes eight concerts.
1929
The London String Quartet performs.
1932
Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff performs.
1936
Opera star Marian Anderson performs.
1943
Classical pianist and composer Vladimir Horowitz performs.
1947
CMA sells 4,000 subscriptions, making it one of the largest music association audiences in the country.
1955
CMA donates an organ to the newly opened Veterans Memorial Auditorium.
1967
Israeli-American violinist Itzhak Perlman performs.
1974
Opera soprano Beverly Sills performs.
1975
Opera bass-baritone and Iowa native Simon Estes performs.
1986
The Juilliard String Quartet performs.
1989
Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis performs.
1997
The Vienna Boys’ Choir performs.
1998
CMA’s Partners in Education program begins.
2000
CMA expands its musical roster to include regular jazz performances in addition to classical concerts.
2010
In conjunction with Boston Brass, CMA presents its first holiday family event.
2011
CMA holds its first weeklong residency program. Oasis Quartet is the featured artist.
2012
CMA partners with Salsa Des Moines to present Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band.
2013
CMA expands its season from six to eight concerts.
2013
For the first time, CMA sponsors a concert at Wooly’s in the East Village, in collaboration with the Greater
Des Moines Music Coalition. The Soul Rebels, a New Orleans-based brass band, performs.
2014
CMA will kick off its 90th anniversary season April 6 with a performance by Philip Glass.
