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AMFS Collective Composition Workshop

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Join us July 30-August 1, 2026, for the Collective Composition Workshop's Summer Extension, featuring world renowned musicians and educators. Bring your creativity to life by composing new music with friends, then performing for the community.

Register Here!


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Explore creativity and composition with the AMFS!

The Aspen Music Festival and School’s first Collective Composition Workshop, presented in partnership with TACAW (The Arts Campus at Willits), invited student musicians in grades 4–12 to come together for a week-long, after-school workshop in April 2026 to create an original musical composition. Centered on student voice and leadership, the workshop encouraged participants to explore themes that matter to them and to express their experiences through sound. Guided by professional musicians who have honed this educational approach with young artists nationwide, students nurtured their innate creativity, grew in their individual musicianship, and built confidence as collaborators while composing an original piece of music together. Their work premiered on the final day of the workshop (April 10, 2026) in a public performance at TACAW.

The Summer Extension invites new and returning students to continue in the creative process together! From Thursday-Saturday, July 30-August 1, 2026, students will revisit the original work and have the opportunity to add to and refine their musical ideas. The final piece will be performed on the Aspen Music Festival and School's summer season (August 1, 2026) at Harris Concert Hall, showing that artists of all ages and abilities can contribute to the future of American music.

Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, this year’s America250 youth essay prompt will inspire the creative process: “What does America mean to you?”

We hope you’ll join us as a new or returning participant this summer!


Participant Information

For students (grades 4-12) in or near Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley with at least 1 year of experience on their instrument or in vocal study. No prior composition experience necessary!

We welcome students affiliated with AMFS AfterWorks, TACAW (The Arts Campus at Willits), Jazz Aspen Snowmass, the Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra, Rock and Roll Academy, Bravo! Vail, in-school music programs in and around Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, home school students, and/or those studying with private instructors.

Please complete the registration form and tuition payment if you are a NEW student participating in the Summer Extension. Students who participated in the April Workshop do not need to register again.

Summer Extension Opportunity – Registration is now open!

The summer extension includes two additional days of rehearsals and community building in Aspen, culminating in a public performance at Harris Concert Hall. Returning and new students are welcome to participate.

Thursday-Saturday, July 30-August 1, 2026
Thursday and Friday: 9:00am-5:00pm
Saturday: 12:00pm-6:00pm

Aspen Music Festival and School - Aspen, CO
Public performance: Saturday, August 1, 2026
4:30pm | Harris Concert Hall (960 North 3rd Street, Aspen, CO 81611)
Free, and open to the public

Tuition and Scholarship Information

Workshop Tuition: $100

Partial and full tuition scholarships are available for students with financial need.

How to Register

Click here to register now!

Registrations will be processed on a rolling basis. Please only complete the registration form if you are a NEW Collective Composition participant. For more information or with questions, please contact us at education@aspenmusic.org.



Support for this project comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, Nancy Swift Furlotti and the Pettit Foundation, and Alpine Bank Space provided in partnership with TACAW (The Arts Campus at Willits).

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