STAFF
Ben Hagen
Accompanist & HarMANY Director
Ben Hagen (he/him) is the Director of HarMANY and has been the principal chorus accompanist since the Fall of 2005. He received his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Iowa. During his time in Iowa City, Ben was the accompanist for the University of Iowa Old Gold Singers and played piano in the show band for Princess Cruise Lines. He has served as the Musical Director for many local musical theater productions including Next to Normal, The Last Five Years, Evil Dead the Musical, Parade, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Ben is participating in his fifth year as an adjudicator for the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards. He has accompanied many professional artists including Simon Estes, Nick Lane and Amy Wagar. Ben also works as Reporting Services Director at EMC Insurance Companies.
Tristan Miedema
General Manager & TRANScendent Director
Tristan Miedema (he/they) is the Director of TRANScendent and has been singing with the chorus since the fall of 2020. He has recently been promoted as General Manager of the DMGMC, wearing many hats behind the scenes of section leader, social media management, and even ticketing management. Des Moines-based vocal coach, performer, and music director, they have received Cloris Awards in Music Direction of Kinky Boots and Waitress, as well as best musical for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Des Moines Playhouse). As a voice teacher at Drake University Theatre, Miedema music directed and conducted the premiere of WINGS, a new musical by Danny K. Bernstein, and received KCACTF commendations in music direction. Miedema is also a studio vocal artist for BMK Arrangements in Chicago, teaches a private voice studio of local singers specializing in gender affirming voice care for trans and non-binary students. Miedema received his MA in Voice from the University of Iowa and BA in music at Central College in Pella, IA.
Kent Zimmerman
Administrative Assistant
Kent Zimmerman (he/him) is a singing member of the Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus and has served as its Administrative Assistant since 2023. Kent is also a Senior Paralegal for a law firm in New York City. Before moving to the Des Moines area in 2020, he spent 23 years in NYC performing on Broadway, in national tours, London’s West End, and at numerous regional theaters. His performance credits include Annie Get Your Gun, Thou Shalt Not, The Producers, Guys and Dolls, Footloose, Show Boat, West Side Story, White Christmas, 42nd Street, A Chorus Line, Ragtime, Peter Pan, Spamalot, Smokey Joe’s Café, Nice Work If You Can Get It, and Funny Girl. Over the past 12 years, Kent has also directed and/or choreographed productions across the country, including Seussical: TYA (Cloris Award winner) and Waitress (Cloris Award nominee) at the Des Moines Playhouse. Of all his accomplishments, Kent is most proud of being a single parent to his incredible son, Braydon Philip.
Cien Conner
Tenor Section Leader
Cien Conner (they/them) grew up in Kansas City and moved to Iowa after graduating from college, drawn by the state’s strong commitment to education. During their time in Iowa, Cien has worked as a substitute teacher in a variety of school districts and has spent the past decade teaching choir, voice, and music theory full time in a metro-area school district. They have also performed for several years with a barbershop quartet and with the Central Iowa Symphony prior to joining the Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus. For Cien, singing with DMGMC provides a meaningful, in-person connection to the LGBTQ+ community and to others who share similar values. While performing excellent music is an important part of the experience, the chorus is first and foremost a space where they feel seen, valued, and empowered to help make a positive difference through music and community.