Des Moines Symphony Association

Filing Period

Jul 1, 2012 to Jun 30, 2013

Signed

Nov 15, 2013

Return Version

2012v2.1

Gross Receipts

$3,694,411

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

The symphony academy was founded in 2003 and offers an array of programs and opportunities for individual and group instruction, performance and community involvement. Approximately 450 students, from toddlers to adults, including three youth orchestras, participate in over 20 different programs at the academy each week, where 25 music educators from respected local institutions, including des moines symphony musicians and teachers from area universities serve as faculty members. Each year the academy organizes an artist residency, a program that gives over 4,000 students the opportunity to meet and work with guest artists each year through various performances, workshops, school visits and private work with our academy students. For the 2012-13 school year, the academy continued to increase the size of its youth orchestras program. Following successful spring and fall auditions and new recruitment measures that included in-person school visits by joseph giunta, 170 students now participate. The mission of the youth orchestras is to provide accomplished and motivated young musicians of central iowa with opportunities to expand their musical horizons by performing challenging orchestral repertoire under expert and professional musical leadership. Participation in the youth orchestras builds upon the musical instruction students receive through school music programs, private lessons, and private study at the academy. Participants receive a comprehensive music education as they progress through the sequence of the three orchestras: youth sinfonia (beginning strings), youth philharmonic (intermediate strings), and youth symphony (advanced full orchestra).each orchestra rehearses on a weekly basis in preparation for 4 or more concerts each year. The challenging repertoire for the youth symphony regularly includes works in the standard orchestral repertoire.each of the academy's three youth orchestras is led by a professional music educator and/or professional conductor. Matt meyer is a member of the des moines symphony and conducts the youth sinfonia. He has degrees in violin performance and music education and is serving in his eleventh year as an elementary orchestra director in the west des moines community schools. Michelle senger, who conducts the youth philharmonic, is also a member of the symphony and was listed in the 2005 and 2006 editions of who's who among america's teachers. Joseph giunta, the music director and conductor of the des moines symphony orchestra, conducts the advanced high school area youth symphony. It is rare for a conductor of a professional orchestra in a metro area the size of des moines to lead a student orchestra, but giunta's commitment to these students reflects his long-standing commitment to music education. He also started the annual yankee doodle pops concert and his leadership led to a benchmark in 2003 when the des moines symphony academy opened its doors. This was a culmination of many years of planning and working with local business leaders to establish a place where people of all ages can go and be exposed to great music through lessons, classes and performance opportunities. In addition, the academy is now partnering with the des moines area suzuki institute (dasi), which will help expand the reach of this innovative string instrument training program, and the academy has now launched its new beginnings strings program.music education is one of the best ways to prepare young people for success in the classroom and beyond. This positive impact extends into the community as these young people take on leadership roles. A considerable body of research shows that studying music and learning to play a musical instrument:1. Enhances cognitive abilities, typically reflected in higher test scores.2. Enhances abilities to assume successful leadership roles, be good listeners and productive team members.3. Reduces involvement in risky behaviors (e.g., drugs, alcohol, violence).the academy offers sc

Filer

EIN

42-6058830