JxJ Festival

Mahler in New York

Date : Sunday, May 17, 2026

Duration : 1 hours 33 minutes

A titan of European music finds himself adrift in the streets of Manhattan—thousands of miles from the theaters and concert halls where he achieved his greatest triumphs and endured his deepest torments. In this vibrant, unfamiliar city, Gustav Mahler confronts both the exhilaration of discovery and the shadow of his own mortality.

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Mahler in New York

A sweeping, symphonic journey follows the final, transformative years of one of Europe’s most influential composers as he embraced the freewheeling culture he encountered in America. Fleeing Vienna’s rising antisemitism, from 1907 to 1911 Gustav Mahler reshaped New York’s musical life through bold leadership at both the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera, while composing his monumental Symphonies Nos. 9 and 10. Working amid the bustle of the Upper West Side, Mahler pushed into daring new territory while facing personal tragedy and mounting health challenges.

Lush musical performances, rare archival materials, and insights from conductors, scholars, historians, and descendants illuminate a story of reinvention, belonging, and the ever-resonant power of Mahler’s legacy.

Catered Closing Night reception prior to the screening with live interpretation of Mahler’s work – 6:30 PM in the 16th Street Lobby, EDCJCC. Apple strudel and Austrian wine generously provided by the Embassy of Austria.

Q&A following the screening with Director Hilan Warshaw and NSO Concertmaster Nurit Bar-Josef.

Nurit Bar-Josef was appointed Concertmaster of the National Symphony Orchestra in 2001 (then the youngest such appointee to a major U.S. orchestra) by Maestro Leonard Slatkin. She was previously Assistant Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops from 1998-2001 and Assistant Principal Second Violin of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra from 1997-1998. She studied with Aaron Rosand at The Curtis Institute of Music and continued her studies at the Juilliard School with Robert Mann.

Ms. Bar-Josef’s solo appearances have included the National Symphony, Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, St. Louis Symphony, Mainly Mozart Festival (San Diego), Oklahoma City Philharmonic, National Philharmonic, and Britt Festival Orchestras, among others. An active chamber musician, she has performed at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, Bay Chamber Festival (ME) and Aspen Music Festival, and festivals in Tanglewood, Portland (ME), Kingston (RI), Steamboat Springs, Garth Newel, and Caramoor. She was a founding member of the Kennedy Center Chamber Players for nine years. Nurit is also on the faculty of Pacific Music Festival (Sapporo, Japan), as well as Taipei Music Academy and Festival (Taiwan).