Get Your Tickets to Friday's Des Moines Symphony Performance in Waukee

It's not every day you get the chance to see world-class talent in a town the size of Waukee. If you're a fan of the orchestra, in particular, you usually have to make the drive to downtown Des Moines to get your fix. But not this weekend.

Instead, the music comes to Waukee Friday night as part of the Des Moines Symphony’s Heartland Tour. This is the second year in a row that the Des Moines Symphony has performed in Waukee. The orchestra takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. in the Waukee High School auditorium.

The evening's performance features music by Grammy-nominated and Avery Fisher prize-winning American violinist, Jennifer Frautschi, who's making her debut collaboration with the Des Moines Symphony led by music director and conductor, Joseph Giunta. The program includes Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto, Tchaikovsky’s the Pathetique, and Hershy Kay’s Cakewalk: Concert Suite.

Giunta said he chose to make Waukee a stop on the orchestra's tour for two reasons - location and to further develop the relationship between the Des Moines Symphony, Waukee students and the community.

"The first thing that caught my attention was that you have a really nice auditorium attached to the high school there," Giunta said. "That and our growing and ongoing partnership with the school system makes us eager to have our musicians perform for this audience."

Giunta added that bringing a performance like the one audiences will hear Friday night to Waukee often creates new patrons among those who may not have experienced the symphony before.

"Having something where you drive for five minutes versus where you drive for 30 minutes is a big deal to some people," he said. "Our research shows that if we can just expose people once to orchestra, they will often come back again."

There are still seats available for Friday evening's performance. Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students through www.seatyourself.biz/waukeehs.

For more information, visit the Des Moines Symphony website.