Des Moines Symphony Association

“The des moines symphony association is a membership organization whose members include concert season subscribers and donors who contribute more than 50 to the annual fund.”

“The members elect the board of trustees at the annual meeting.”

“The audit/finance committee of the board of trustees annually reviews the form 990 and the full board approves it for filing with the internal revenue service.”

“The conflicts of interest policy is distributed to each member of the board of trustees. This policy is monitored by the executive director and board president.”

“The process of determining compensation of the des moines symphony association's key employees is as follows: 1. In may, committee members and officers of the board of trustees complete written evaluations of the executive director and music director. Committee members also interview committee chairs not represented otherwise to obtain additional input for their evaluations. 2. The hr/compensation committee chair compiles the results of the written evaluations and prepares the summary for committee members. The committee reviews and accepts the evaluations which are delivered to the two key employees before the end of the fiscal year by the president of the board of trustees. 3. The executive director and music director are each asked to do a self- evaluation of their progress toward the goals for the year as set after the past year's performance review. The president of the board of trustees also evaluates progress toward goals of the two key employees. 4. Based on performance evaluations and progress toward goals, and in consultation with the audit/finance committee regarding the association's financial status, the hr/compensation committee determines compensation for the next year for the executive director and music director.”

“See the statement for part vi, line 15a”

“The des moines symphony association's governing documents, conflicts of interest policy and financial statements are kept on file at our main office. Photocopies of the documents are provided within one week of any request.”

“Schedule d, part v, line 1b col (a) total contributions include a reduction of 29,718 for the change in beneficial interest in the des moines symphony foundation.”

“Central iowa region with a metro population of approximately 560,000. This geographic reach and the numbers of people who hear the des moines symphony performances are both expanded significantly through concert broadcasts over iowa public radio (ipr), a statewide radio network. In addition to regular civic center concerts, the symphony has a long history of run-out concerts which have had a positive effect on access and audience growth for classical music in iowa. In addition to our annual yankee doodle pops concerts, over the past decade we have performed concerts in ames, waukee, decorah, newton, oskaloosa, perry, corydon, grinnell and clarinda. The orchestra has also been invited to perform during two world food prive events, including in 2006 when it performed the world premiere of a commissioned work by minnesota composer steve heitzeg, symphony to a prairie farm. In its 78 year history the des moines symphony has commissioned and premiered 22 new orchestral works. The 2015-16 season was our seventy-eighth season, coinciding with joseph giunta's twenty-seventh season as music director and conductor. Giunta's long tenure is quite notable among american orchestras and is a testament to his commitment to, and the support hes has received from, des moines and central iowa. Compelling programming, combined with an aggressive marketing campaign and modified ticket prices, including half-price student admission, has resulted in an 11% increase in paid attendance over the past four years and an 80% subscription renewal rate. The des moines symphony strives to contribute, through programming, education and outreach, to community development and quality of life. The following statistics provide solid measures of the positive impact the des moines symphony has in our community and state: 1. The des moines symphony provides employment to over 185 professional musicians and academy faculty members, making us the state's largest employer of artists. 2. Regular attendance at all civic center and other concerts was 31,813 in 2015-16. 3. The audience for the free yankee doodle pops concert has grown to over 100,000 people. Looked at another way, nearly 18% of residents of the metro area attend yankee doodle pops. 4. 4,974 elementary school students attended the symphony's school-day youth concerts in 2016.”

“Private work with our academy students. For the 2015-16 school year, the academy continued to increase the size of its youth orchestras program, including the expansion from three to four orchestras. Following successful spring and fall auditions and new recruitment measures that inluded in-person school visits by joseph giunta, 186 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 four orchestras: preludio strings, youth sinfonia, 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 four 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 preludio strings and youth sinfonia. He has degrees in violin performance and music education and is serving in his fourteenth 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; and in 2014 was awarded special recognition as iowa's most influential band or orchestra director by school band and orchestra magazine. Joseph giunta, the music director and conductor of the des moines symphony orchestra, conducts the advanced high school and aged youth symphony. It is rare for a conductor of a professional orchestra in a metro area the size of des moines to also 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 perforamce opportunities. In addition, the academy has begun a new beginning strings program that is part of the boys & girls club afterschool program at george washington carver elementary school. The academy has also launched its new proprietary keyboard based curriculum called group lessons for young beginners. 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 scholarships on a sliding scale, meaning no student is turned away due to inability to pay tuition. This means that private funding for the academy is critical, as tuition covers just 46 percent of operating expenses. The academy is committed to providing unique music education and instrumental ensemble performance opportunities to any young person in central iowa who exhibits a desire to learn and a passion for classical music.”

“Change in beneficial interest des moines symphony -1,356,265 total -1,356,265”

“The audit/finance committee of the board is responsible for the oversight of the annual financial audit and the selection of an independent accountant. There were no changes in the oversight or selection process during the tax year.”