Everything Chip Davis does is for the musical experience: the extravagant tour of his band, Mannheim Steamroller; his bath and body product line; food recipes; his new work with psychoacoustic therapy.

“Music is core,” says Davis, whose father was a teacher and composer of music. “I always watched my dad; I’m a third-generation musician. I was always around it.”

Following in his father’s path, Davis became a music teacher.

“I loved teaching but I wanted to do music,” he says.

Davis stopped teaching, however, to compose music. He soon started Mannheim Steamroller, which tours the nation each holiday season and has sold more than 35 million albums.

Mannheim Steamroller’s sound comes from a mix of old and new sounds, Davis says.

“We intermingle old musical technology with new symphonic technology and meet in the middle,” he says.

This sound has kept fans coming and the group hasn’t slowed down. Mannheim Steamroller has kept all of its original members and has even added a few during its more than 20-year career – it has had seven members for a little more than 10 years.

“We’re more like a family,” Davis says of the group’s ability to stick together.

The members do have to make sacrifices, however – being on tour during the holidays.

“This music isn’t year-round,” Davis says. “I miss being around the kids – my wife used to bring them out but it gets hard with school.”

Mannheim Steamroller began its tour during the week of Thanksgiving, but was able to spend the holiday at home. On a typical tour, the band members play about once every three nights in 16 to 18 cities.

To carry all of the equipment for the extravagant tour, the group uses an airplane, two buses for sleeping and 11 semis for hauling the equipment.

In addition, in each city, the group hires approximately 150 people. This includes a full orchestra and characters for their Christmas village set.

The group used to play in auditoriums around the nation, but have moved up to larger hockey arenas like the new Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

“[The atmosphere] is much colder; we try to create a holiday atmosphere,” Davis says. “Holiday characters greet you as you walk in; there are choirs in the hallways, sleigh bells and wind. We make it more theatrical.”

Who: Mannheim Steamroller

Where: Wells Fargo Arena, 730 3rd St., Des Moines

When: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday

Cost: $25 to $86