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Resistance

Macky Auditorium 1595 Pleasant St, Boulder

MARTINU | Memorial to Lidice
STILL | Dismal Swamp
MAHLER | Symphony No. 6 in A-minor

Where there is resistance, there is hope. Of all of Mahler's symphonic protagonists, it is the hero of his Sixth who fights the most bravely, even when all hope seems lost.

$5 – $85

Celebrating Peace

Macky Auditorium 1595 Pleasant St, Boulder

MAHLER | Todtenfeier
PRITCHARD | Seven Halts on the Somme, Concerto for Trumpet and Strings
KORNGOLD | Symphony in F-sharp, Op. 40

Korngold, whom Mahler referred to as a “musical genius,” refused to write concert music while Hitler was in power. After the war, he composed his only symphony, a celebration of peace and hope for the future, dedicated to FDR.

$5 – $85

MahlerFest 38 Symposium

Academy - Mapleton Hill 2435 Fourth St, Boulder

FREE EVENT - Speakers at the symposium and other events throughout the festival will include Kalanit-Liat Chalstrom, Leah Claiborne, Marilyn McCoy, and Ryan Hugh Ross. Lunch is free but reservations are required for sandwiches.

MahlerFest 38 Introduction by Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director

MahlerFest 38 is a celebration of defiance, protest, resistance, and remembrance through music. This year’s festival is centered around Mahler’s Sixth Symphony—a work that embodies the struggle against inevitable fate with courage and determination. From its thunderous hammer blows to its soaring themes, the symphony is a powerful tribute to those who fight against all odds, whether on the battlefield, in moments of personal adversity, or through acts of quiet defiance. The festival’s lineup explores this theme across a range of musical expressions, from Viktor Ullmann’s darkly satirical opera The Emperor of Atlantis, written in the Theresienstadt internment camp, to Erwin Schulhoff’s String Sextet, infused with the energy of protest and the aftermath of war. Through these works, MahlerFest 38 offers a reflection on art’s ability to inspire, commemorate, and push back against despair.

 

The festival also showcases a rich and diverse repertoire beyond Mahler, including Bohuslav Martinu’s Memorial to Lidice, a poignant tribute to a Czech town destroyed during World War II, and William Grant Still’s Dismal Swamp, a moving musical journey from oppression to freedom. Korngold’s triumphant Symphony in F-sharp, written as a post-war statement of hope and gratitude, highlights the weekend’s orchestral offerings. Alongside these major symphonic works, MahlerFest 38 will feature a protest song recital, an adventurous chamber music program, and a late night folk/roots music performance. With these bold offerings, we invite audiences to experience the indomitable spirit of music and its enduring power to illuminate the human experience, even in the darkest times.

See all of the MahlerFest 38 Artists here.