CIS Orchestra Central Iowa Symphony is a 60+-member community orchestra comprised of professional musicians, music educators, exceptional student performers and accomplished amateurs from Ames and other communities in a four-county area. The symphony, now in its 20th year, offers a four-concert subscription season and several summer programs.

Make Me a Maestro The whole community is invited to join in this FUNdraiser that culminates when one lucky person will see a dream come true -- to conduct the orchestra.

Summer Pops Concert Each year a concert in the park brings new audiences to experience the symphony.

Sounds of the Season Watch for another fun program for the entire family and downtown businesses joining our effort to continue the traditions at this year's holiday concert.

Young Artists The Young Artists concert gives the community’s top student-artists a chance to perform.

Annual CIS Gala Music, good company, wine and food. What more could you want? This event has become a popular way to support the orchestra.

FAQ

What is the Central Iowa Symphony?
The Central Iowa Symphony is a community orchestra comprised of professional musicians, music educators, exceptional student performers and accomplished amateurs from a five-county area in central Iowa.

How big is the Central Iowa Symphony?
Although membership varies throughout the year, between 60 and 80 musicians practice weekly for a subscription concert season from October through May, and several pops concerts during the summer months.

How is a community orchestra different from other orchestras?
A community orchestra is just that – community-based. Its members are from all walks of life with a common interest – their enjoyment of performing orchestral music. By being a member of a community orchestra, they are able to give something back to their community while fulfilling a lifelong love of music. Community orchestras are largely volunteer or “semi-professional.”

Are CIS musicians paid?
For the most part, musicians are not paid. Principal players in each section receive a small stipend for each performance, even though many are conservatory trained or make their living primarily in music. Several scholarships also allow students the opportunity to participate.

How are CIS musicians selected?
They are selected by audition and/or invitation.

What are your goals?
Our primary goal is to foster and promote the performance and appreciation of orchestral music for people of all ages in central Iowa.

Based in an academic community like Ames, the CIS is especially interested in the educational aspects of the symphony for younger audiences (we offer an annual Family Concert).

We also want to reach newer audiences who might not be familiar with symphonic music (our Concert Conversations before every concert are always a fun way to learn about the pieces and composers).

And we think that CIS can offer other unique opportunities, such as a chance for talented student musicians to perform a major solo work with a symphony orchestra (they are selected in our Young Artists Auditions each January, which is also designed as a learning experience for students).

How old is the Central Iowa Symphony?
CIS offered its first concert in 1987. The organization emerged from the Octagon Orchestra, which was made up of musicians who played informally and gave an occasional concert. Ames musician Bob Achenbach was the guiding force of that ensemble.

How many conductors have you had?
Maestro James Hannon is the orchestra's sixth music director and conductor.

Past conductors are Mark Laycock, now director of orchestras at Chapman University in California. Mark was preceded by Paula Holcomb of Pella, Dianne Pope of Des Moines, Kirk Smith from Iowa State University, and Paul Kirby, also from Iowa State University.

How is CIS funded?
CIS offers a four-concert subscription season and several summer pops concert on an annual budget of less than $50,000. This is a real bargain by most standards because we have no paid staff, yet we pay standard royalties for music, hall rental fees and other costs. Approximately 25 percent of our revenue is from ticket prices, with another 50 percent from fundraising efforts, and 25 percent from grants.

For the current season, CIS is supported by grants from the City of Ames Commission on the Arts, U.S. Cellular, and the Sylvia and Bill McCormack Fund of the Central Iowa Symphony Foundation.

How is CIS governed?
We are governed by a 15-member board of directors from the Ames and surrounding communities. Each serves a three-year term. Officers of the board also meet on a regular basis with a group that represents members of the orchestra.

Does CIS have small groups or ensembles to perform at public or private functions? How can I get a concert performance in my community?
Several small CIS ensembles perform at public or private functions. Jim Perkins, (515) 432-2803, is the contact for the Central Iowa Brass Quintet. Mary Kay Polashek, (515) 292-2757 or epolashek@aol.com, is the contact for string quartets.

The CIS music director plans all other performances of the orchestra. In recent years, the orchestra has performed at venues in surrounding communities, including summer pops concerts in Marshalltown and Boone.

A Brief Look At The Central Iowa Symphony Through The Years

The Central Iowa Symphony emerged from the Octagon Orchestra, which was made up of musicians interested in playing informally and giving an occasional concert. Ames musician Bob Achenbach was the guiding force of that ensemble.

CIS expanded its horizons by fusing professionals and talented amateurs from Ames and surrounding communities, inaugurating its first season in 1987-88. Paul Kirby, conductor of the Iowa State University orchestra, became the first music director and conductor. CIS had a four-person board of directors plus four honorary board members.

CIS expanded its board from four members in the first year to 15 members in 1989-90. Achenbach continued to do much of the behind-the-scenes work through 1989.

Kirk E. Smith, who succeeded Kirby at ISU, became music director and conductor for the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons, during which the board assumed more responsibilities. Tinka Sack, the first paid manager who was employed during the 1990-91 season, helped the board define the orchestra’s needs for the future.

Dianne Pope of Des Moines became music director for the 1991-92 season, and remained with CIS for three seasons. At the beginning of the 1994 season, Paula Holcomb of Pella took over as music director and conductor, staying through the 1998-99 season.

The board of directors expanded the orchestra’s outreach activities for the 1992-93 season by establishing the Friends of the Central Iowa Symphony, awarding three Iowa State University student scholarships, and inaugurating the Young Artists Auditions. The auditions provide exceptional school-age performers a learning opportunity and critique by a panel of judges. Several young artists are selected from the auditions to perform a major work with the symphony at one of the CIS season concerts.

The 1992-93 season also marked the orchestra’s first out-of -town concert, playing to a packed house in the new Roland-Story High School Auditorium in Story City.

Mark A. Laycock, director of orchestral activities at Iowa State University, served as CIS music director and conductor for the 1999-2000 season and into the current 2003-04 season. During his tenure, he greatly expanded the orchestra’s season and outreach activities.

Laycock initiated a five-concert season including a Sounds of the Season concert on the stage of C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, summer pops concerts in Ames and surrounding communities, and educational outreach in local schools. Thousands of people in Ames and surrounding communities heard the orchestra both in the concert hall and sitting in lawn chairs on a warm summer evening.

In 2000, supporters formed the Central Iowa Symphony Foundation to raise funds for the symphony over the long-term. The foundation is governed by a board of directors that is independent of the CIS board.

June 2002 was the first Summer Gala that honored Sylvia and Bill McCormack for their many years of service to Central Iowa Symphony. The Summer Gala kicked off the Sylvia and Bill McCormack Fund by raising more than $30,000 for the CIS Foundation. Sylvia not only played in the orchestra, but was also a long-time president of CIS. With the help of other board members, Sylvia did the behind-the-scenes work that kept CIS growing and thriving. June 2003 brought another Summer Gala to raise needed funds for Central Iowa Symphony.

In December 2004, CIS sponsored its first Make Me a Maestro event in which three candidates raised more than $10,000 to help offset expenses for the Sounds of the Season concert. The candidate who raised the most funds also conducted one piece at that concert.

In fall 2003, Mark Laycock accepted a position at Chapman University in Orange, California, returning to Ames to conduct the first two concerts of the CIS season. Matt Smith, associate director of bands at ISU, has served as the rehearsal conductor for the fall concerts, and will lead the orchestra through the remainder of the spring concert season, as well as the 2004 summer pops concerts.

IAfter a season-long "audition" process by two qualified candidates, the CIS Board hired James Hannon, Director of Orchestral Activities, to be its sixth music director and conductor. Hannon assumed duties in June 2005.