Two American musical icons meet on the sixth Masterworks program of the season. Copland’s Shaker-influenced Appalachian Spring and Gershwin’s jazz-infused An American in Paris bookend the concert. Heitzeg’s Symphony In Sculpture celebrates the Pappajohn Sculpture Park through its musical evocation of Des Moines’ favorite sculptures. Margaret Bonds’ Music from the Montgomery Variations reflects the struggles and triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement.

EPSG:4326

Hope – Copland & Gershwin

Des Moines Civic Center

Experience the radiant music, dynamic performances, and traditional costumes of the Balkans! Join us for an unforgettable cultural celebration featuring authentic performances by youth folklore groups from across the United States.
• Folk dance from Bosnia and other Balkan regions
• Traditional costumes
• A celebration of heritage & community

KUD Dukat Presents Folklore Festival

Hoyt Sherman Place

Devon Allman has been immersed in the world of blues and rock his entire life. As the son of the legendary Gregg Allman, Devon grew up surrounded by the rich musical legacy of the Allman Brothers Band, a group that played a pivotal role in shaping the Southern rock and blues sound.

Devon Allman’s Blues Summit is a powerhouse gathering of blues legends that promises to electrify the stage. Led by Devon Allman and backed by The Devon Allman Project Band, this summit brings together an all-star lineup including Jimmy Hall, Larry McCray, and Laka Soul.

Devon Allman’s Blues Summit

They have percussion without drums. They have rhythm without a bass. The only instruments on stage are the fourteen voices of the nationally renowned a cappella groups Vocal Point and Noteworthy. Brigham Young University’s premier a cappella ensemble captivates audiences throughout the world with their stunning, high-energy performances and elaborate music videos.

Brigham Young University presents Vocal Point and Noteworthy

Podcast link: https://youtu.be/4hagYvrYbuM

The Artelize Podcast and Kasper Holten - Pedefining Opera for the modern world

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d36M5Hi6O80

The Artelize Podcast - A legacy of innovation in Opera: Celebrating Marc A. Scorca

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59E40S_EQSY

The Artelize Podcast: A love letter that was never sent

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THv6htilWtI

The Artelize Podcast and Adolfo Corrado: Mediterranean flavors, opera and social media

Thirty years ago, a Fender Strat-wielding teenager from Shreveport, Louisiana by the name of Kenny Wayne Shepherd brought the blues back to the mainstream. It was 1995, the era of furrow-browed grungesters, when a sandy-haired guitar prodigy unapologetically celebrated a genre often pushed to the margins. With his fiery fretwork, pop-rock hooks, and reverence for the blues, Shepherd’s arrival was a much-needed palette-cleanser from the existential dread of the times.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band

The Symphony’s Season Finale explodes with Richard Strauss and his monumental storytelling. The Symphony’s powerful brass section is on display, from the composer’s Vienna Philharmonic Fanfare to the cinematic grandeur of his Alpine Symphony featuring 34 brass players. Amaryn Olmeda returns to Des Moines for Mendelssohn’s beautifully melodic Violin Concerto.

Season Finale: Courage – Alpine Symphony

Des Moines Metro Opera invites you to experience an evening of breathtaking music, glamour and celebration at the 2026 Opera Gala.

Opera Gala 2026

City of Des Moines City Hall

The Wallflowers will mark the 30th anniversary of their landmark album Bringing Down the Horse with a nationwide U.S. tour. The band will perform their classic album in its entirety, in sequence. Originally released on May 21, 1996, Bringing Down the Horse was a critical and commercial triumph. The album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and was certified quadruple platinum, cementing the band’s place in ‘90s rock history.

The Wallflowers

I’m With Her has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 per ticket goes to supporting organizations working for equity, access, and dignity for all. plus1.org

With the 2014 formation of I’m With Her, singer/songwriters Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sara Watkins introduced an essential new force into the world of folk music: a close-knit alliance of highly esteemed musicians, each graced with a deep understanding of folk tradition and unbridled passion for expanding its possibilities.

I’m With Her – Sing Me Alive Tour

Join us for the Des Moines Symphony’s 32nd annual Yankee Doodle Pops, Iowa’s largest single-day concert event! This family-friendly, patriotic concert concludes with the area’s premier fireworks display over the downtown Des Moines skyline, and best of all, it’s free. Bring your picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs, or purchase food from an array of vendors at the concert.

32nd Annual Yankee Doodle Pops

Iowa State Capitol

Discover opera’s rising stars at one unforgettable concert! The members of our Frank R. Brownell III Apprentice Artist Program take the stage for one night only to perform opera’s greatest duets, trios and ensembles alongside our acclaimed Festival Orchestra.

Stars of Tomorrow 2026

Drake University

Jefferson Starship is one of the most successful arena rock bands of the ’70s and ’80s, earning 3 platinum and 8 gold records, as well as numerous Top 40 Billboard singles. As they celebrate their 50th anniversary, the band reaches a rare milestone that only a few bands ever achieve.

Founded by Paul Kantner in the ’70s, Jefferson Starship was conceived as a collective of musical adventurers contributing to his epic concept albums and eventual catalog of rock classics. When the current lineup came together in 2012, with many members having joined years earlier, Kantner couldn’t have predicted the band would become the road-conquering force they are today.

Jefferson Starship Runaway Again Tour

The magic dance continues. On the heels of a successful global tour to nearly 100 cities, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert returns in fall 2026 to visit more than 60 North American cities. An unforgettable night of fantasy, music, and nostalgia awaits, as fans celebrate the 40th anniversary of the movie’s 1986 release. Fans are invited to step into the magical world of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth in an exciting fusion of film and live music. Watch the cult classic on a stunning HD screen while a live band performs the full soundtrack in perfect sync with David Bowie’s legendary vocals. From iconic songs like “Magic Dance” to Bowie and Trevor Jones’ sweeping score, the music comes alive like never before. Dress in costume, sing along, and cheer for your favorite characters as Goblin King Jareth, Sarah, and the fantastical creatures of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop leap off the screen.

Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert 40th Anniversary

Leonid & Friends is a globally acclaimed, genre-defying 11-piece collective renowned for their astonishingly precise recreations of classic Chicago songs, alongside high-energy performances of other rock, pop, and jazz-fusion hits from the 1970s. Formed by multi-talented musician and producer Leonid Vorobyev, the group features elite vocalists and instrumentalists from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and beyond—united by a shared passion for celebrating this iconic era of music.

Leonid & Friends

Snarky Puppy, the five times Grammy® winning collective, “has always been a band that prioritizes the sound of the music,” says bandleader and bassist Michael League. Displaying a wide array of influences including funk, rhythm & blues, hard rock, classic soul, modern gospel, new tech, fusion and jazz, Snarky Puppy isn’t exactly a jazz band, it’s not a fusion band and it’s definitely not a jam band. It’s probably best to take Nate Chinen of the New York Times’ advice, as stated in an online discussion about the group, to “take them for what they are, rather than judge them for what they’re not.”

Snarky Puppy

Update (Feb 11, 10:00 AM): The Big Head Todd and the Monsters concert originally scheduled for January 23, 2026, at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines, IA has been rescheduled to October 16, 2026. All tickets for the original performance will be honored, so fans should hold on to their tickets. If you cannot attend the new date, refunds will be available on request only at your point of purchase for 30 days (through March 13, 2026). In-person venue box office customers should return to the box office for their refund if one is needed.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters

STAYIN’ ALIVE offers to their audiences the songs and sights of a full Bee Gees playlist, singing blockbusters such as “Night Fever”, “Jive Talkin’”, “How Deep Is Your Love”, “You Should Be Dancing”, “Nights on Broadway” and “Stayin’ Alive”. In addition, they perform softer poetic ballads such as “I Started a Joke”, “Massachusetts”, “Fanny Be Tender”, “Words” and “To Love Somebody” among other great hits.

Stayin’ Alive: One Night of the Bee Gees

The final battle begins. You can experience Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in a way you’ve never seen it before! The Des Moines Symphony performs Alexandre Desplat’s iconic score as the film is projected onto a high-definition screen that puts you in the middle of the action. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to witness Harry and his friends face off for the last time against their foes.

Events in Des Moines, IA

Hope – Copland & Gershwin...

Des Moines Symphony

KUD Dukat Presents Folklo...

Hoyt Sherman Place

Devon Allman’s Blues Summ...

Hoyt Sherman Place

Brigham Young University ...

Hoyt Sherman Place

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast - A ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast: A l...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band...

Hoyt Sherman Place

Season Finale: Courage – ...

Des Moines Symphony

Opera Gala 2026

Des Moines Metro Opera

The Wallflowers

Hoyt Sherman Place

I’m With Her – Sing Me Al...

Hoyt Sherman Place

32nd Annual Yankee Doodle...

Des Moines Symphony

Stars of Tomorrow 2026

Des Moines Metro Opera

Jefferson Starship Runawa...

Hoyt Sherman Place

Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: I...

Hoyt Sherman Place

Leonid & Friends

Hoyt Sherman Place

Snarky Puppy

Hoyt Sherman Place

Big Head Todd and the Mon...

Hoyt Sherman Place

Stayin’ Alive: One Night ...

Hoyt Sherman Place

Harry Potter and the Deat...

Des Moines Symphony