Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra: Nature & Soul – Schubert and Mahler

The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra is playing at the Schrott Center for the Arts on Saturday, January 16, 2027, at 7:30 PM. The program is titled Nature & Soul, and it pairs Schubert's Symphony No. 3 in D Major with Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde, presented in Farrington's arrangement for chamber orchestra. Music Director Matthew Kraemer is conducting, and the Mahler piece brings in two guest artists: alto Olga Perez Flora and tenor Jamie Flora.

It's part of the ICO's 2026-27 season, Story Lines: A Soundtrack to the Past & Present, which marks the ensemble's 43rd year. The season is built around the idea of narrative through sound, and this particular program draws on the beauty of the natural world and the depths of the human spirit. The Schubert is a symphony from his early years, and the Mahler is one of his most celebrated song cycles, here scaled down from a full orchestra to a chamber group.

There's more to the season than this one night. The ICO is planning two free outdoor summer concerts at Riverside and Holliday Parks, played alongside local student groups. Singer-songwriter Ben Folds is returning, and they're doing a world premiere of the 1928 silent film Steamboat Bill, Jr. with live accompaniment. If you're following the whole run, Nature & Soul sits right in the middle of that mix.

One practical thing to keep in mind: free student and child tickets are available by phone, email, or at the door rather than online. The concert is at the Schrott Center for the Arts, part of Butler University at 610 W. 46th St., Indianapolis, IN 46208. It starts at 7:30 PM on Saturday, January 16.