As a New Jersey teenager, Joseph Giunta was torn between two loves: music and tennis. But apparently, he made the right decision. He is now in his 31st season as a conductor and his 17th with the Des Moines Symphony. Giunta graduated from Northwestern University and, at 23, became the youngest conductor in the country when he took over the Waterloo Symphony. As a guest conductor, he landed in cities across the country, as well as in Mexico, South America and Europe. Travel weighed on him, and family became a priority with the birth of his two children. He made Des Moines his home and has turned the symphony into what he believes is one of the finest orchestras of its size. His work has also helped found events and programs such as the Des Moines Symphony Academy that promote music education and appreciation throughout the entire community.

Who or what steered you toward a career in music rather than tennis?

I had a terrific high school tennis coach whose philosophy I use when I’m counseling young people about music. He told me when I was about 15 that he felt I had a lot of talent in tennis, but didn’t feel that I was good enough to play on the professional circuit and be successful. At 15, that’s a tough pill to swallow. But it focused me more on music and played to my strengths.

How do you apply that philosophy?

I think a lot of studio teachers, public-school teachers continue to nurture and give young people the encouragement they need. But sometimes to a young person, that translates into some false hopes. So I’m sort of the grounder with these kids. I’ve really only met eight or 10 kids in all my years in Iowa who I really think should be performers.

How was your life influenced by the fact that you were the son of Italian immigrants?

It never even made any difference to me, because where I was from, all of the neighborhoods were very ethnic. The only thing we knew growing up in that kind of environment was that all of our moms were wonderful cooks and cooked different foods.

How did you know at such a young age that you wanted to be a conductor?

I had some really good teachers when I was in elementary and junior high school who taught more than the instrument that I was trying to become proficient on. I had started string bass lessons, and I remember my teacher saying, “You’re going to practice this excerpt, but you’re also going to go buy full scores to these pieces.” From the very beginning of my musical education, there was always this big-picture approach. I think that’s what inspired me.

You were accepted to the Juilliard School. Why didn’t that last?

It only lasted three months. It was so focused and so intense and the competition was so severe that I remember just being completely overwhelmed and coming home and telling my parents that there had to be more to life than music. I had other interests and wanted to learn some foreign languages, I was a real astronomy buff, I loved science and history. Juilliard was just not the right place for me because it was so heavily focused on music.

At what point did you realize it wasn’t going to work?

I had just turned 18 and it was a Saturday night at about 11:30. I walked past a building on campus with about 15 or 20 stories and the top part was all practice rooms. Every single room was filled with someone practicing. I thought, “This is not healthy for me.”

What educational experiences did you have at Northwestern University that gave you the well-rounded experience you were looking for?

I had a terrific astronomy course with the head of Project Bluebook, Dr. J. Allen Hynek. The project studied UFOs, so I had the chance to hop in a plane at 4 a.m. with his team and into the desert to investigate UFO sightings. Maybe the best course that I had at Northwestern was a course called Social Inequality: Race, Class, Power. There was a Shakespeare course that was taught by a professor who had many students who went on to become famous stars. We had lectures by young, vibrant Hollywood actors and actresses, such as Charlton Heston.

What was the experience like of traveling the world as a guest conductor?

I was getting paid to do what I love to do, so it was just a dream come true. After a while, it didn’t get to be as much fun anymore. To this day, if I never see another hotel room, it’s fine with me. I also wanted to have a family. I got married in the early ’80s. I’m divorced now, but I have two children (Alexis, 16, and Jared, 12). When my daughter was first born, I was still missing a lot of activities in her early life.

Why is music education such a passion of yours?

The experts tell us that if a child studies music, they will score better on their test scores, communicate better, learn foreign language better, have superior verbal skills and basically become more responsible citizens. The real answer is that there is not a subject that I know of that teaches listening skills better than music. If you’re a good listener, you’re going to be a good learner. It can really bring us together and insist that we listen to each other. That is the sole reason why I do it. I know that it’s healthy and wholesome and right.

Who are some of your favorite musicians?

I don’t listen to much classical music in my leisure time because that’s my business. If you go turn my car on, there happens to be some Bobby McFerrin in. If I had to choose one genre to listen to in my spare time, it’s jazz. I love the stuff that Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett did years ago. And some of the stuff that is out now, the Ricky Martins and Britney Spears, is very creative. I get a full dose of that from my kids.