Aspen Music Festival And School

Dear Festival friends,

Every day of the past two months we have been analyzing the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in consultation with public health experts, hospital leadership, civic and county officials, and many others. In recent days, the collective data began to coalesce, and we have reached the conclusion, together with our board and faculty leadership, that we must cancel the full season.

We take this action in solidarity with our musical community, our Aspen community, and indeed the world community, as we commit first and foremost to keeping each other safe at this historic moment.

We will come together around music again, in fact sooner rather than later. We are already working on not only the 2021 season—which will be nothing less than an explosion of musical joy— but also on virtual ways the AMFS community can come together to enjoy music and each other. The medium may be different, but we can and will still share the essence of the Aspen experience. That is what we do. Watch for more information.

This extraordinary time brings loss and profound change, but also carries important lessons. It asks us to reaffirm our deepest values, and understand it is in connection and in community we are most alive. We will emerge together, stronger, deeper, and more grateful, on the other side. I am already looking to that day.

Yours,

Alan Fletcher