A Brief History of the
Des Moines Community Orchestra

The Beginning:

Currently lead by Music Director and Conductor, Carl Johnson, the Des Moines Community Orchestra was founded by Dr. Janice Wade in 1976, gathering together interested area musician acquaintances. The first concert featured guest percussion soloist, Drake faculty member Larry Kaptain, playing the Milhaud percussion concerto. Interest in the orchestra continued to grow, and the fledgling group could be found rehearsing and performing all around town, encouraged by donations of time, space and financial assistance from members and supporters.

Music Directors and Conductors:

Janice Wade continued as Music Director and Conductor of the orchestra from 1976 through 1987. She then took a teaching position at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where she remains today as an Associate Professor of Music, teaching violin and viola. She also is Music Director and Conductor of the Wartburg Community Symphony.

Beginning in 1987, Rod Sharpe conducted the Des Moines Community Orchestra for two seasons while he was a student at Drake University. He subsequently went on to study Library Science at the University of Iowa. During his time there he also worked at the Library of Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, as well as conducted the orchestra for community theater musicals in Mt. Vernon. Beginning in 1995, Rod started a full-time library position at Western Illinois University.

Richard Gerstenberger became Music Director and Conductor for the next ten concert seasons (1989-1999). Maestro Gerstenberger is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, and Boston University. He played horn professionally with the Boston Pops under Arthur Fiedler, the Boston Symphony under Charles Munch, and the New England Opera Theater under Boris Goldovsky. He was also Director of Bands at Rutgers University. 

After moving to Des Moines, Richard taught at Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa), at Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa), and in the Des Moines Public Schools. He played horn with the Des Moines Symphony for 20 years, and co-founded the Des Moines Horn Club in 1970. In "retirement" Richard became Music Director and Conductor of the Des Moines Community Orchestra during the 1989/1990 season. Before the 1999/2000 concert season, with health considerations in mind, Richard decided to retire from the Des Moines Community Orchestra.

The 1999-2000 season brought a series of guest conductors to the podium, as the orchestra searched for a new full-time music director and conductor. The 2000/2001 season, our 25th season, continued that variety with more guest conductors.

The 2001-2002 season brought the conductor search to a conclusion. At the end of the Spring Concert, our new Music Director and Conductor was announced: Carl Johnson. 

Celebrate & Sing Handel’s Messiah:

Each December since 1986, the Des Moines Community Orchestra has presented a sing-along performance of Handel’s Messiah in which the audience sings the chorus parts of Messiah. Often a guest conductor leads the performance. This tradition has given talented vocal leaders the opportunity to conduct the orchestra, and to shape the performance of one of the great vocal compositions. The following people have been our most recent guest conductors for our Celebrate and Sing Handel’s Messiah: