Aspen Public Radio has confirmed its role as a 2022 media partner and the return of classical music composer and aficionado Chris Mohr. Each week of the festival, the station will share interviews, previews, and festival information promoting the events and happenings of the Aspen Music Festival and School’s signature summer season.
Rooted in over fifteen years of collaboration, Aspen Public Radio and the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) are partnering together again to highlight 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. This season, which is themed, “Tapestries,” will run from June 30 to Aug. 21, and will include Verdi’s Falstaff; The Sound of Music as a two-night concert event; and the Berlioz Requiem; as well as performances by guest artists Matthew Whitaker, Augustin Hadelich, Joyce Yang, and more.
New for 2022, Mohr will be joining the Aspen Public Radio local news team, and will dedicate his eight-week-long tenure to providing full coverage of the festival, under the direction of Aspen Public Radio Edlis Neeson arts & culture reporter, Dominic Anthony Walsh. This year, Mohr will share AMFS interviews and long-form features throughout each week during Morning Edition from 7:00-9:00 a.m. and All Things Considered from 4:00-6:00 p.m., Aspen Public Radio’s two highest-rated dayparts among its more than 18,000 weekly listeners. Additionally, Mohr’s daily, one-minute AMFS calendar segment, “Festival Notes,” will broadcast each weekday morning. Feature interviews, including AMFS president and CEO Alan Fletcher’s “High Notes” series, will also be posted to the station's website, which was redesigned in 2021 to be more digitally robust, mobile-responsive, and user-friendly. The station will also continue to broadcast special AMFS events live throughout the duration of the summer season, including its annual July 4 concert.
During its spring membership drive in March, the station also announced that it will be offering a complimentary pair of AMFS tickets to one 2022 summer season event for Aspen Public Radio’s monthly Evergreen members, a previous arrangement which had been on hold for the past two summers due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. And, the station is currently planning a summer “garden party” reception exclusively for its National Council members that emphasizes the partnership between Aspen Public Radio and AMFS.
“I’m so excited to be returning to Aspen for my ninth season, and working with Aspen Public Radio’s award-winning news team,” says Mohr. “I have long admired news director Brent Gardner-Smith’s commitment to local journalism and his deep ties to the community. I’m looking forward to working with reporters Eleanor Bennett, Halle Zander, Dominic Anthony Walsh, and Caroline Llanes. I can’t wait to get started and to bring classical music to a wider audience. This new approach will greatly enhance the listening experience among classical music lovers, local infomaniacs, the Music Festival and School, and Aspen Public Radio.”
“Sundays at the music tent are a beloved summer tradition here – and really, summertime in Aspen is synonymous with the festival,” says Breeze Richardson, Aspen Public Radio executive director. “We’re so delighted to be able to fully feature Chris’ extensive knowledge as a classical music lover with our listeners.”
She went on to say, “Because Chris will be sharing his expertise during drive-time listening, our community will have more opportunities than ever before to plan out each weekday this summer with a full understanding of what’s coming up on the music school’s schedule, and hear the unique stories behind the performances. We’re also exploring ways Chris can curate a regularly scheduled classical music playlist on-demand each week for our listeners. As a classically trained musician myself, this updated approach is going to be such a treat. And for the next generation, I’m just so hopeful this new format will introduce new audiences to the world of classical music and help us cultivate an appreciation of all the world-class cultural offerings our valley is really known for.”