In the 1970s, a society of LA-based lovers of Mahler created bumper stickers that cemented the composer’s cult status in Southern California and beyond. One even landed on Leonard Bernstein’s score of Mahler’s Sixth Symphony.

In the 2024/25 season, Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel led an exploration of Mahler’s inner world with an eye toward this Angeleno history. The festival was titled Mahler Grooves.

But how does Mahler groove? We asked festival participants and consulted a historical figure to help answer this question....

Santa Monica High School

Members of Santa Monica High School also contributed their thoughts on how Mahler grooves: 

“To me, the phrase ‘Mahler Grooves’ captures the rhythmic intensity and emotional depth that makes his music feel alive. Whether it’s the driving momentum of his tempo, or the dance-like passages that blend darkness with exhilaration, his music grooves by pulling us into its flow. It’s not just about rhythm but the emotion shifting seamlessly between tenderness to chaos. His music grooves by constantly surprising and transforming.” 
FEBEN AYELE, VIOLIN, 11TH GRADE

“An ignored composer recognized only for his conducting until after he passed away—groovy. Music that calms, excites, sparks nerves, induces melancholy, and leads to reflection—groovy. A nervous skeptic that created breathtakingly beautiful pieces that leave you utterly speechless—now that's Mahler groovy.”
NATHAN DEBEECH, VIOLIN, 12TH GRADE

“Mahler Grooves represents the relentless waves of emotion that roll over the listener. The ‘groove’ of his music swells into heart-wrenching moments that elicit grooves to crack along one’s face. Whether these are dimples of joy framing one’s smile or lines of sorrow stretching between temples, Mahler’s music touches everyone who opens their ears and, more so, their heart.”
GRAYSON FITZGERALD, BASS, 11TH GRADE

“The phrase, ‘Mahler grooves’ means the dramatic motifs spread throughout his works. The connection between his symphonies with repetition is what really imprints a sense of yearning. It’s like you’re reading a series of books, constantly wanting more.”
AMBER FRENCH, FLUTE/PICCOLO, 11TH GRADE

“To me, ‘Mahler Grooves’ means the way in which Mahler's music is able to evoke emotion in those who listen to it. The emotion evoked is almost irrelevant, because the process, the way the music brings these emotions out of us is so...well, groovy!”
ROSE GALLAGHER, CELLO, 12TH GRADE

“The grooves in an LP are dimpled, and its formations are carved out of the specific music and sounds it plays. So Mahler ‘grooves’ are the canyons and scenery that his music paints when I hear his work; particularly Totenfeier. 
ORIANE LA CHAPELLE, VIOLIN, 9TH GRADE

“To me, when I hear the phrase Mahler Grooves, I imagine a large valley, with a river going down the middle. It is sunset, and Mahler’s serene horn solo at the end of the first movement of his fourth symphony is playing. I imagine that it is pushing the sun down the horizon, signaling a brilliant end to the day.”
ADAM ORSHANSKY, VIOLIN, 10TH GRADE

“The phrase ‘Mahler Grooves’ is the feeling that I get when I listen and play Mahler. The beautiful theme that the viola and cellos have in Totenfeier sets a calm, tranquil scene that puts my mind at ease. I also feel that the triplet rhythm makes Mahler’s Totenfeier groovy and exciting.”
ADELINE RADER, VIOLA, 10TH GRADE

“Mahler Grooves encapsulates the feeling of when his landscapes of notes sweep me away. Where each performance has a distinctly different flavor of expression and gives me a new surprise.”
IAN RHIE-KIM, CELLO, 10TH GRADE

“Mahler Grooves, to me, refers to the pulse and flow of Mahler’s music, and how it moves with intensity, but also a tenderness and natural energy. Its a type of ‘groove’ that will stay with you, even after the final note of the music has been played.
LYAM SHAPOURI, CELLO, 11TH GRADE

“Mahler Grooves to me represents the many different styles Mahler incorporates into one piece. In Totenfeier, we are constantly switching between sweet major keys that sound beautiful to suspenseful chords that keep you on the edge of your seat. As a musician during this piece, I get chills as Mahler's composition seamlessly switches tone smoothly, in a ‘groovy' way.”
MARCO SUNG, TRUMPET, 12TH GRADE

“I think the phrase, ‘Mahler Grooves’ doesn't represent a quality of Mahler's music, but his life. Mahler led a life full of loss and regret, and yet he kept writing. I think the expression, ‘Mahler Grooves,’ is the perfect way to express Mahler's devout determination to express feelings of life, in a vast musical space.
LUKE TERLIZZI, TROMBONE, 12TH GRADE

“’Mahler Grooves’ are shown when his incredible music takes you along a whole journey to the end of the universe, like in Totenfeier, when the strings start an epic descent, with the winds closely following, representing supernatural ghostly voices of mortality. The entire orchestra continues to spiral down into the underworld, with the powerful brass pushing through the gates of hell. In this passage, the thundering waves of sound create ominous Mahler grooves that reflect the inevitable approach of death.”
ELI TOBEL, CLARINET, 10TH GRADE

“When I first saw the title, ‘Mahler Grooves,’ my initial reaction was to imagine Mahler himself grooving out on a dance floor. But in all seriousness, to me this term conveys the connections between his pieces, and their effect on the audience when played in succession.”
SILAS TROPEA-LESTER, OBOE, 11TH GRADE

“'Mahler Grooves’ means to capture the unexpected rhythm and intensity of the music—the way the symphonies pulse and flow with intimacy. There are moments where the music has this almost jazzy, syncopated quality, pulling you in with its unexpected swells and shifts. It’s as if Mahler was not just composing symphonies, but creating these deep, layered grooves that resonate with us on an emotional and even physical level.”
NAOMI XIA, VIOLIN, 11TH GRADE

Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles

Members of the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles shared insights into their performance and reflections on what makes Mahler’s music feel so uniquely alive:

“Mahler Grooves doesn’t necessarily imply a traditional sense of groove but rather a unique underlying pulse and energy that defines Mahler’s music. It’s a rhythmic and emotional force that players instinctively feel—something distinct to Mahler’s writing. This is especially true for the French horns, whose soaring and powerful lines infuse the music with unparalleled depth and expression. Their passages don’t just add to the texture; they embody the very essence of the Mahler Groove, drawing both performers and listeners into its sweeping, emotional journey.” 
NOAH WILLIAMS, HORN, 12TH GRADE

“Mahler Grooves represents an indescribable, almost instinctive connection to the music—something felt rather than merely heard. It’s a subconscious response where rhythm, emotion, and movement merge into an unspoken flow between the music and the body. In those moments, Mahler’s sound world becomes more than just notes; it syncs with our internal pulse, creating a sensation that can only be fully understood through direct experience.” 
FARAH ABDALAH, HORN, 12TH GRADE

“For me, the phrase ‘Mahler Grooves’ encapsulates the music’s ability to transport listeners to different realms. In the first movement of the third symphony, recurring themes create a sense of movement and progression. The transition from the void before creation to the vibrancy of a marching band moving through town exemplifies Mahler’s mastery of creating a profound emotional impact beyond the limitations of speakers or headphones. A live performance truly immerses the audience in a whole new world.”
NICHOLAS PEREZ, PRINCIPAL TROMBONE

“‘Mahler Grooves’ is about the raw, propulsive energy that pulses through his music; shifting rhythms and bold orchestration create an irresistible momentum. In Symphony No. 3, Movement 1, this groove is unmistakable—the relentless march, the swaggering brass, and the sharp, playful interjections of the E-flat clarinet all drive the music forward with weight and unpredictability. As a performer and conductor, I feel this intensity firsthand—the balance of precision and abandon, the pulse that grips the orchestra, and the ever-changing landscape of sound that makes Mahler’s music feel alive and unstoppable.”
DWAYNE BURRELL, ASSOCIATE ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR AND E-FLAT CLARINET