Civic Music Association

World-class chamber and jazz music is what defines the Civic Music Association of Des Moines. Established in 1925 by three visionary women – Mrs. Elsa Neumann, Mrs. Gertrude Shloss and Mrs. Elizabeth Cowles – CMA is a foundational piece of Des Moines history.

These visionary women believed that Des Moines should be a place where the world’s greatest musicians should come to perform, and they made it happen. Our mission has remained consistent for over 90 years: