America250: A Concert for German American Friendship

Please join the German-American Heritage Foundation & Museum and for a special evening of chamber music with a selection of works by Austrian and German exile composers who spent the 1930s and 1940s in the United States. Featured composers include Arnold Schönberg, Kurt Weill and Hanns Eisler along with American-born George Gershwin, and Gustav Mahler, one of the great Romantic composers and conductors who bridged the gap between the 19th century Austro-German tradition and 20th century modernism.

Mahler had a special relationship with the United States, and celebrated his New York debut at the Metropolitan Opera on Jan. 1, 1908 where he conducted Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. He continued to make occasional guest appearances until March 1910, and symbolized a longing for America (German: ‘Amerika-Sehnsucht’) that played a significant role in pre-World War I Europe.

Attendees will enjoy a diverse musical program that highlights the strength and resilience of culture and music as a means of creating connections and understanding by drawing upon the experiences of living abroad and in exile. We hope that you will celebrate the long-standing friendship between Austria, Germany, and the United States with us during this special semiquincentennial year.

We are not charging an admission fee, but please consider making a donation to GAHF and The United Church–either or in person–for bringing high-quality cultural programming to the Washington, DC area. For more information about the musicians, please visit: https://gahmusa.org/event/music-in-exile-concert-on-may-13-2026-at-6-pm/

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Host or Publisher German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA