After a chance encounter with a recording of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony at 11 years old, Gustavo Dudamel instantly became a superfan of the composer and his monumental music.

Over the last three decades, Dudamel has carried his expertise and enthusiasm for Mahler’s music with him all over the world. As part of the 2024/25 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Dudamel curated the Mahler Grooves Festival in honor of his and Los Angeles’ special, long-standing connection with the composer.

“We are privileged to have the chance to get into this unique universe that Mahler created for us,” Dudamel says. In this interview, he shares the deeper meaning behind the Mahler Grooves Festival and how the composer’s music can move us when experienced live in concert.