You can edit almost every page by Creating an account. Otherwise, see the FAQ.

Civic Music Association

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki

Script error: No such module "AfC submission catcheck".

Civic Music Association of Des Moines
AbbreviationCMA
Formation1925
FounderMrs. Arthur Neumann, Mrs. John Cowles, and Mrs. Sam Shloss
Location
  • Des Moines, Iowa
Websitecivicmusic.org

The Civic Music Association of Des Moines (CMA)[1] is an arts organization located in Des Moines, Iowa. Founded in 1925, CMA presents concerts featuring classical and jazz musicians. These concerts are held at various performance venues throughout Des Moines, including Hoyt Sherman Place, Salisbury House & Gardens, Temple Theater, Noce, and Sheslow Auditorium at Drake University.

History[edit]

Founding (1920s)[edit]

The Civic Music Association was founded on June 30th, 1925. The first concert presented by CMA took place on November 6th, 1925, featuring the Kibalchich Russian Symphonic Choir at the Des Moines Municipal Auditorium. A total of five concerts were presented in the first season from 1925 to 1926, including Metropolitan Opera Soprano Dusolina Giannini. Rather than individual tickets, only season memberships were offered at a price of $5.[2] Other notable acts who came to Des Moines in the 1920s include The Manhattan Opera Company, Mischa Levitzki, Feodor Chaliapin, and Richard Crooks.[3]

1930s[edit]

Although the Great Depression caused some scaling back of the budget, Civic Music continued to bring notable musicians to Central Iowa. The 1932 to 1933 season started with a performance at Hoyt Sherman Place featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff. American contralto Marian Anderson gave a performance during the 1936 to 1937 season featuring works by Handel, Schubert, Verdi, Sibelius, and others. The following season, memberships became over-subscribed to the point where many members had to be placed on a waiting list or refunded.[2]

1940s[edit]

The increase in Civic Music Association memberships continued into the 40s, particularly during the post-war years.[4] Concerts were moved to the KRNT Theater in 1946 to accommodate for the growing interest. Memberships exceeded 4,000 by the 1947 to 1948 season, making Des Moines the third largest Civic Music audience in the country, behind Eugene, Oregon and Chattanooga, Tennessee.[2]

Midcentury[edit]

From the 1940s through the 1960s, the Civic Music Association presented children’s concerts, primarily at performances by Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. The first children’s concert took place in February of 1940, hosting 3,800 children at Shrine Auditorium. It was the first symphony orchestra concert in Des Moines to be targeted towards children.[5]

1970s[edit]

When the KRNT Theater closed in 1972, concerts were moved back to Hoyt Sherman Place. However, there were occasionally large ensembles who required a larger venue; In 1974, the Denver Symphony performed in the Technical High School Auditorium. Concerts were moved to the Civic Center when it opened in 1979, and remained there for several years.

1980s-2000[edit]

2000-Present[edit]

Membership[edit]

At first, Civic Music Association concerts were sold exclusively through memberships, with unreserved seating.[6] Memberships were sold during a short period of a few days during annual membership drives.[7] After the Civic Music Association of Des Moines became a member of the National Civic Music Association in 1930, the National Association sent someone to assist in the membership drives when they occurred.

Belin Quartet[edit]

The Civic Music Association has partnered with and provided instrumental support for the Belin Quartet since its founding in 2000. The quartet has performed a summer series of free string quartet concerts for 24 seasons, and currently hold concerts at the Salisbury House & Gardens.

The Belin Quartet honors the legacy of David and Connie Belin and is funded by the Iowa Foundation for Education, Environment, and the Arts. David Belin was an attorney for the Warren Commission and the Rockefeller Commission, as well as a concert violinist.[8] Connie Belin was an avid supporter of music and the arts, and the co-founder of the Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa.

Season History[9][edit]

1920s[edit]

1925-1926[edit]

1926-1927[edit]

1927-1928[edit]

1928-1929[edit]

1929-1930[edit]

1930s[edit]

1930-1931[edit]

1931-1932[edit]

1932-1933[edit]

1933-1934[edit]

1934-1935[edit]

1935-1936[edit]

1936-1937[edit]

1937-1938[edit]

1938-1939[edit]

1939-1940[edit]

1940s[edit]

1940-1941[edit]

1941-1942[edit]

1942-1943[edit]

1943-1944[edit]

1944-1945[edit]

1945-1946[edit]

1946-1947[edit]

1947-1948[edit]

1948-1949[edit]

1949-1950[edit]

1950s[edit]

1950-1951[edit]

1951-1952[edit]

1952-1953[edit]

1953-1954[edit]

1954-1955[edit]

1955-1956[edit]

1956-1957[edit]

1957-1958[edit]

1958-1959[edit]

1959-1960[edit]

1960s[edit]

1960-1961[edit]

1961-1962[edit]

1962-1963[edit]

1963-1964[edit]

1964-1965[edit]

1965-1966[edit]

1966-1967[edit]

1967-1968[edit]

1968-1969[edit]

1969-1970[edit]

1970s[edit]

1970-1971[edit]

1971-1972[edit]

1972-1973[edit]

1973-1974[edit]

1974-1975[edit]

1975-1976[edit]

1976-1977[edit]

1977-1978[edit]

1978-1979[edit]

1979-1980[edit]

1980s[edit]

1980-1981[edit]

1981-1982[edit]

1982-1983[edit]

1983-1984[edit]

1984-1985[edit]

1985-1986[edit]

1986-1987[edit]

1987-1988[edit]

1988-1989[edit]

1989-1990[edit]

1990s[edit]

1990-1991[edit]

1991-1992[edit]

1992-1993[edit]

1993-1994[edit]

1994-1995[edit]

1995-1996[edit]

1996-1997[edit]

1997-1998[edit]

1998-1999[edit]

1999-2000[edit]

References[edit]

  1. "Opportunity for Iowa nonprofits: Gannett Foundation relaunches multimillion-dollar crowdfunding, grant program". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Canarina, John. "75 Years of Civic Music." 2000.
  3. "Season History". Civic Music Association. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  4. "Civic Music Membership Increased". Des Moines Sunday Register. March 17, 1946.
  5. Grant, Donald (February 20, 1940). "Symphonies Trill 3,800 D.M. Children". The Des Moines Register. p. 9.
  6. "Through "Civic Music" Des Moines has enjoyed greatest artists of the musical world". Des Moines Sunday Register. March 20, 1949.
  7. Wingate, Blanche (March 22, 1936). "Civic Music Drive to Start On Monday". Des Moines Sunday Register.
  8. "Details Page - The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa - The University of Iowa Libraries". uipress.lib.uiowa.edu. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  9. "Season History 1925 to 2023". civicmusic.org.


This article "Civic Music Association" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Civic Music Association. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.