Colorado MahlerFest is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1988 that presents an annual, weeklong festival celebrating the life and music of Austro-Bohemian romantic composer Gustav Mahler. A board of directors governs the organization, coordinates a variety of committees, and manages a small year-round staff. Staff and board work together to mount the festival as well as to secure and manage necessary resources.

Mission

Colorado MahlerFest’s mission is to celebrate the legacy of composer Gustav Mahler through an annual festival featuring all of Mahler’s musical output as well as contextual cultural and educational events.

Festival

Colorado MahlerFest is the world’s longest-running celebration of the life and music of composer Gustav Mahler. The festival features a vibrant program of music, performed by world-class musicians

1. MahlerFest is about more than Mahler: We appreciate and enjoy Mahler’s music. We also use it as a lens through which to appreciate and enjoy the works of composers who influenced Mahler and by composers whom Mahler in turn influenced.
2. MahlerFest is about immersion: In an age of scrolling and skimming, we offer a rare opportunity to dive deeply into a symphony, to immerse ourselves in that piece and in its many musical and cultural connections.
3. MahlerFest is about community: Orchestra musicians, symposium participants, and audience members embark on a weeklong journey together. We bond through shared musical experiences as well as through informal social events.
4. MahlerFest is about beauty: Our Rocky Mountain foothills, much like those in which Mahler composed, are an ideal backdrop for experiencing works that are so heavily influenced by nature. Boulder’s breathtaking alpine environment is a major draw for musicians and audiences alike.
5. MahlerFest is about inclusion: We welcome musicians, symposium participants, and audience members from diverse backgrounds. We strive to break down stereotypes about classical music—about Mahler’s music in particular—and to ensure that all in our community feel valued and included. This music is for everyone.

Festival Orchestra

Under Artistic Director Kenneth Woods, The Colorado MahlerFest Orchestra draws together young professionals, conservatory and university students, and advanced amateurs under the leadership of an inspiring team of Festival Artists – principals, tutors, and mentors – to create an ensemble that blends aspiration and inspiration.

Festival Symposium

Colorado MahlerFest’s annual symposium features lectures, films, and discussions geared toward a broad audience. Leading scholars and experts offer historical and biographical information on Mahler (as well as on other composers, artists, and writers), his influences, and his legacy. Audience members are encouraged to interact with presenters. Whether you are a Mahler novice looking for an engaging introduction to his musical language or a longtime Mahler aficionado looking for a deeper understanding of Mahler’s compositional process and musical and literary influences, the MahlerFest symposium has presentations that will delight, inform, and inspire!

Recognition

Colorado MahlerFest’s continuing contributions to promoting the understanding and knowledge of Mahler’s music have resulted in significant recognition. In 2005, the International Gustav Mahler Society of Vienna awarded Colorado MahlerFest its rarely bestowed Mahler Gold Medal. MahlerFest was honored alongside the New York Philharmonic, joining such past recipients as the Vienna Philharmonic and Leonard Bernstein.

We received a proclamation from the Colorado State Senate and Boulder City Council designated May 21, 2017, as Colorado MahlerFest Day. 

Read more about our history here.
See our archives here.
Purchase recordings here.
See videos from recent festivals here.