Mahler’s Symphony No. 5

The Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director and Conductor Octavio Más-Arocas, presents Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 on Friday, February 7, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. in the Cobb Great Hall of Wharton Center. A work of remarkable depth and power, Mahler’s Fifth Symphony takes listeners on an emotional journey—one that traverses grief, joy, longing, tenderness, and ultimately, love.

Gustav Mahler, one of the leading composers of his generation, was a late-Romantic Austrian master whose music bridges tradition and modernity. Renowned for its sweeping orchestration and intense expressivity, this five-movement masterpiece is a defining work of the late-Romantic era. From the somber opening funeral march to the famous Adagietto—a breathtakingly intimate movement often interpreted as a love letter to his wife, Alma—Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 balances technical brilliance with profound emotional depth. 

“This symphony is an experience unlike any other,” said Más-Arocas, director of orchestras at MSU and conductor for the program. “Our musicians have embraced the challenge of Mahler’s vast emotional and technical landscape, and we look forward to sharing this monumental work with our community. It is music that speaks to the full range of human experience, from sorrow to triumph.”

MSU Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Mahler’s Fifth offers concertgoers a chance to experience music that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. The program also includes an original fanfare by an MSU College of Music student composer, adding a fresh perspective to an evening of profound and powerful orchestral music.

Additional upcoming MSU Orchestra concerts this season include:

• February 27, 2025 – Concert Orchestra, “Movie Night” 
• March 21, 2025 – Symphony Orchestra, “Pines of Rome” and Honors Concert
• April 22, 2025 – Concert Orchestra, “Russian Masters”
• April 26, 2025 – Symphony Orchestra and Choirs, “Songs of Love and Destiny”

General admission seating for large and other ensemble performances are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (age 60 and older), and free for students and those under 18 with valid ID. Tickets can be purchased online (music.msu.edu), by calling (517) 353-5340, or at the door. More information on these and other events in the 2024-2025 season is at music.msu.edu/events. Admission to student master classes and workshops is free.