Mahler's Symphony No. 1, "Titan": UMD Symphony Orchestra

The UMD Symphony Orchestra, under music director David Neely, closes its 2026–27 season with Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, “Titan,” presented in Dekelboum Concert Hall at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The concert is scheduled for Friday, May 7, 2027, at 8:00 pm, with reserved seating. The program notes describe Mahler’s First Symphony as a work shaped by folk and art song, visual art, philosophy, literature, and the composer’s own emotional and spiritual life. The nickname “Titan” came from a novel by Jean Paul, one of Mahler’s favorite Romantic writers, and the symphony’s original programmatic movement titles outlined a sprawling coming-of-age narrative concerned with youth, nature, and emotional struggle.

The performance unfolds through the symphony’s four movements, ranging from the pastoral, springlike opening to a distorted funeral march based on “Frère Jacques,” and culminating in a colossal finale of struggle and triumph that the program notes compare to the final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The UMD Symphony Orchestra is described as being dedicated to meaningful orchestral training and the power of musical communication, presenting new works, lesser-known masterpieces, and major staples of the orchestral repertoire.

When: Friday, May 7, 2027, at 8:00 pm.

Showtimes: One performance at 8:00 pm.

Venue: Dekelboum Concert Hall, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

Seating: Reserved seating.

Tickets: Regular admission is $30 plus a $5 booking fee; students and youth are $10.

Lineup: David Neely, music director and conductor; UMD Symphony Orchestra.

Program: Gustav Mahler — Symphony No. 1 in D Major, “Titan.”

Run time: Not specified on the page.

Age restrictions: None specified.

Accessibility: The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center offers wheelchair-accessible seating, size-inclusive seating, large-print programs, assisted listening devices, adult and child-friendly sensory packs, and quiet spaces. ASL interpretation, audio description, and captioning are available for select events or by patron request at least six weeks in advance.

Note: This concert serves as the UMD Symphony Orchestra’s season finale for 2026–27 and is a single-evening performance in the Dekelboum Concert Hall.