Des Moines Symphony & Academy Youth Concerts

Youth Concerts

Central Iowa fourth and fifth graders will experience the power and beauty of a full symphony orchestra at these specially designed youth concerts. For most students, this is their first exposure to live, orchestral music. Thousands of students attend this concert each year.

Reservations are required. To inquire about attending, please contact Joshua Barlage, Symphony Academy Managing Director, at 515.280.3332 or joshua@dmsymphony.org.

Pre-Concert Materials for Registered Schools

Teacher's Resource Guide

Our Teacher’s Resource Guide has been prepared to provide helpful information about your student’s upcoming concert experience.

2020 Teacher’s Resource Guide

Suggested Lesson Plans

The following lessons plans have been prepared by Kendra Leisinger.  Ms. Leisinger is an Elementary General Music Teacher in the Ankeny School District.

A Note to Music Educators 2020

Table of Contents

Mussorgsky Lesson Plans:

• Night on Bald Mountain Feedback
• Gallery Walk
• Art Work No. 1
• Art Work No. 2
• Art Work No. 3

Beethoven Lesson Plan:

• Symphony No. 8 - Tempo & Expression

Heitzeg Lesson Plan:

• Nomade - Tableau

Supplemental Materials & Additional Activities:

• Active Listening Lesson
• St. John's Eve Lesson
• A to Z Chart
• Vocabulary of Musical Elements

Listening Excerpts:

Mussorgsky A Night on Bald Mountain
New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein, conducting

Beethoven Symphony No. 8, Allegretto scherzando
NBC Symphony Orchestra
Arturo Toscanini, conducting

Heitzeg Nomade from Symphony In Sculpture I
Des Moines Symphony
Joseph Giunta, conducting