The Northwest Mahler Orchestra is the primary performance ensemble of the Northwest Mahler Festival, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1995. The Festival’s mission is:

• To create an opportunity for orchestral instrumentalists and chorus members in the Northwest to experience first-hand the larger, more difficult orchestral pieces, through readings, performances, workshops, seminars, master classes and other informative means;

• To encourage and facilitate relationships between the Northwest’s community, student and professional orchestras and choruses, their organizations and memberships, and the community at large; To provide an enjoyable and enriching musical experience for all participants.

The Northwest Mahler Festival meets once or twice each year for intensive rehearsals and performances. It is unique in its combination of the talents of fine professional, community and student musicians from the greater Puget Sound region. During its fourteen-year history, the Northwest Mahler Orchestra has performed all nine of the Mahler symphonies and a number of other works for large orchestra by Mahler and other composers. The Orchestra’s complement of musicians averages over 125 each year.

The Festival also holds spirited reading sessions each June, exploring dozens of large orchestral works with many of the area’s best conductors. A Festival Chorus is brought together from local choirs and singers whenever works for chorus and orchestra are performed.