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Founded in 1949, the Aspen Music Festival and School is regarded as one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, noted both for its concert programming and its musical training of mostly young adult music students. The eight-week summer season includes hundreds of classical music events: concerts by four orchestras, recitals, chamber music, operas, classes, lectures, and family programs. In the winter, the AMFS presents recitals and robust music education programs for local youth and families, and in the summer the Aspen Music Festival and School host High Notes, lunchtime discussions featuring prominent performers, composers, and musicologists in lively discussions with AMFS President and CEO Alan Fletcher. Learn more at: aspenmusicfestival.com.

Sharon Isbin's enchanting Guitar August 13

Guitarist Sharon Isbin Yukking it up with two of America's favorite comedians.
Guitarist Sharon Isbin Yukking it up with two of America's favorite comedians.

Three time Grammy Award winning guitarist Sharon Isbin returns to Aspen for her immensely popular annual concert August 13 at Harris Hall, showcasing tunes from her new CD Romantico. She's joined by conductor Elizabeth Schulze and AMFS percussionist Jonathan Haas for a performance of the lushly lyrical and rhythmically joyous Miami Concerto. Last week, she and Elizabeth dropped by the Aspen Public Radio studio to chat about her recent guitar explorations.

Classical music reporter Chris Mohr has loved classical music since he was twelve. “And I owe it all to radio,” Chris explains. “I grew up in a farm town east of Cleveland. One day I turned on the local classical radio station. They were playing Vivaldi, and it was like the gates of heaven opened up to me!" Chris is also a composer, and is working on a 53-note-to-the-octave oratorio, "Melodies of the Shoreless Sea." This is his 11th summer working for Aspen Public Radio.