FESTIVALFOCUS YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE
SUPPLEMENT TO THE ASPEN TIMES
MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2026
VOL. 36, NO. 6
Shaham Tackles Beethoven’s Complete Violin Sonatas BY EMMA KIRBY Marketing Manager
“Beethoven, possibly more than any other composer— and I don’t say this lightly—had an arc to his whole life,” says Aspen Music Festival and School Munroe President and CEO Alan Fletcher. Next week, audiences will get to experience this arc firsthand as virtuoso violinist and beloved AMFS alumnus Gil Shaham embarks on what Fletcher calls a “Mount Everest” of violin feats: performing all 10 of Beethoven’s violin sonatas. Joined by pianist and longtime duo partner Akira Eguchi, Shaham will bring audiences on a musical journey that encapsulates Beethoven’s life, from his early works to his later compositions, over the course of three nights in Harris Hall on August 6, 8, and 11. “The idea of a cycle is a unique one in Aspen,” says AMFS Vice President for Artistic Administration Patrick Chamberlain, referencing his pedagogical approach in planning a varied season. When Shaham suggested the complete set of Beethoven’s sonatas, Chamberlain was all ears. “I’ve been around Gil long
enough to know that if he’s got an idea we just should run with it,” says Chamberlain. Fletcher surmises that perhaps a third to a half of all violin recitals include a Beethoven sonata. So why present the full set? Because it changes
10 sonatas between 1798 and 1812, spanning all three periods commonly used to define the composer’s style (early, middle, and late). “Over the course of three concerts you’ll get the whole spectrum,” says Chamberlain.
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Beloved AMFS alumnus Gil Shaham and acclaimed pianist Akira Eguchi bring their infectious enthusiasm and dynamic stage presence to all 10 of Beethoven’s violin sonatas played over three nights: August 6, 8, and 11.
the experience entirely, he explains. “To hear all of them in a progression is a tremendous learning experience. You hear them differently,” says Fletcher. Not only is it “a wonderful way for the audience to have insight into [Shaham], but also into Beethoven.” Beethoven composed the
Fletcher remarks that some composers—Bartók, for example—settled on a compositional style early on, with little to no evolution throughout their lifetime. Beethoven, on the other hand, was constantly experimenting with his style. “In almost every piece, [he] was trying to do something different,”
says Fletcher. Audience members who are only able to attend one of the three recitals will still have the opportunity to hear the composer’s musical evolution. Rather than presenting the sonatas chronologically, Shaham selected to pair early and late sonatas together across the 2026 Season Benefit three evenings. “The juxtapoA Feast of Music sition is particularly powerful,” says Chamberlain, especially of the first evening, which features Sonata Nos. 1–3 and No. 9, his famous “Kreutzer” sonata. “You hear the differences and some of the commonaliThe Season Benefit Online Auction ties of Beethoven across time.” is live—and open to all! The second night features We invite you to browse, bid, and Nos. 4, 5, and 10, the last of share with friends near and far. which Chamberlain describes Every bid supports the Aspen Music as “ethereal.” The cycle conFestival and School’s students as cludes on the third evening they embark on a life-changing sumwith Sonata Nos. 6, 7, and 8. mer of music-making, mentorship, and artistic growth. No less critical in this endeavor is the role of Akira Eguchi Browse luxurious getaways, exclusive AMFS experiences, and oneon the piano. The sonatas of-a-kind items from our generous are “called violin sonatas, but community partners. You’ll find they’re just as virtuosic for the something for everyone! piano,” says Chamberlain, who refers to them as “piano sonaPlace your bids tas with obbligato violin.” The by Wednesday, two are touring the complete August 5. cycle of sonatas worldwide— appearing on programs by the Singapore Symphony, the LA Phil, the Houston Symphony, See “Mount Everest,” Festival Focus page 3
AMFS Orchestra Makes Classical Cameo “Up in the Sky” BY EMMA KIRBY Marketing Manager
In 2025, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel made classical music history when they performed a set at Coachella. In February, Sarasota Orchestra conductor Giancarlo Guerrero led a group of classical musicians in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show performance. And just a few weeks ago, Dudamel again took to the big screen, appearing for a halftime performance at the World Cup with members of the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony from Venezuela, which drew over 60 million viewers.
Such significant cameos in the world of popular entertainment, particularly those with massive global reach, are a way for classical music to reach new ears in a world with rapidly changing tastes. When the timing of Belly Up Aspen’s second annual “Up in the Sky” festival coincided with the Aspen Music Festival and School season, Munroe President and CEO Alan Fletcher saw an opportunity to translate that same idea onto a stage here in Aspen. He pitched the concept to Belly Up Aspen owner Michael Goldberg who, as a lifelong fan of classical music, saw the potential of such a collaboration. It will be “something different and unexpected,” but also a “fun, unique
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Conducting fellows and student artists of the Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra perform The Rite of Spring at Belly Up Aspen’s “Up in the Sky” festival on August 8.
experience,” say the Goldbergs (David, Danny, and Michael), who are “excited to add another element to the lineup with an orchestra” to kick off the second day of the festival. So when close to 20,000 EDM fanatics descend on Buttermilk for a weekend of DJ sets and amplified sounds, they, too, will get the chance to see a full orchestra in action. The Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra performs on the main stage from 2:15–2:45 pm on Saturday, August 8. “For almost all of [the festival goers], it will be the first time they’ve heard a live symphony orchestra,” says Fletcher. “Other than us, it’s 100% electronic dance music.” See ‘Up in the Sky,’ Festival Focus page 3
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MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2026
FESTIVALFOCUS | YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE
Supplement to The Aspen Times
This Week: Fresh Artistry in Harris Concert Hall A Recital by Lawrence Brownlee tenor, Erin Morley soprano, and Myra Huang piano Tuesday, August 4 | 6 PM Don’t miss the vocal chemistry when two of the opera world’s most captivating stars join forces for an evening of stunning bel canto gems! Critics have praised this recital featuring solo opera arias and duets from their recent album Golden Age. According to Opera Magazine, “Brownlee’s vocalism was staggeringly secure, attractive and impactful over a huge range” and “Morley floated her vocal lines with engaging lightness . . . ” (Washington Classical Review). COURTESY PHOTO
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The Danish String Quartet returns to Aspen following their appearance at the Festival in 2024. The August 3 program will include original compositions by the quartet.
South African cellist Abel Selaocoe makes his Aspen Music Festival and School debut on August 5 with an exciting program featuring many of his own compositions.
A Recital by the Danish String Quartet
A Recital by Abel Selaocoe cello
Monday, August 3 | 6 PM
Wednesday, August 5 | 7:30 PM
The Washington Post called them one of the “best string quartets before the public today.” The Los Angeles Times noted their remarkable ability to make “time stand still” and “assume the pose of excitingly aggressive rockers.” One of the world’s great chamber ensembles returns to Harris Concert Hall in Aspen with an entrancing program of Stravinsky, Beethoven, and a selection of their own original compositions!
South African cellist Abel Selaocoe is one of the most captivating performers on the world stage today. Since bursting onto the scene in 2021 with his BBC Proms debut, he has taken the world by storm. He combines virtuosic cello and vocal performance with improvisation, sweeping audiences along in a blaze of joy. He also perform’s Jessie Montgomery’s cello concerto, These Righteous Paths, with the Aspen Festival Orchestra on Sunday, August 9, in the Klein Music Tent.
SHERVIN LAINEZ | COURTESY PHOTO
Metropolitan Opera stars Lawrence Brownlee and Erin Morley appear in recital on August 4, with collaborative pianist and artistfaculty Myra Huang.
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Continued from Festival Focus page 1
FESTIVALFOCUS | YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE
Supplement to The Aspen Times
MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2026 3
A ‘New World:’ AMFS Through Slatkin’s Eyes BY ALENA SCOTT Marketing and Publications Assistant
“Back in 1964, [the Festival] was very different . . . I’ve witnessed three iterations of the Tent. [But] the thing about Aspen that has always been so wonderful is the ability to hear so much music.” As he prepares for his August 7 appearance with the Aspen Chamber Symphony featuring Dvořák’s enduring “New World” Symphony, internationally acclaimed conductor and AMFS alumnus Leonard Slatkin reflects on his nearly 65-year shared history with the Aspen Music Festival and School. The conductor’s 2026 return is marked not only by an extraordinary program, but by the transformation of the Festival since Slatkin’s first 1964 performance in what was then simply referred to as “The Music Tent.” “It wasn’t the big festival that it is now,” he recounts. “There were maybe three concerts a week, rather than three a day. The Festival’s orchestra didn’t really have students—it was all professionals from other orchestras.” Slatkin credits renowned violin teacher Dorothy DeLay with transforming the Festival by connecting her Juilliard students with the AMFS. “It’s been growing since.” The seasoned conductor is enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve in a teaching capacity for the students that are, by now, the heart of the AMFS. “To me, that’s what people who get to this point in their lives need to do,” Slatkin says. “Pass along knowledge in hopes that maybe
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AMFS alumnus Leonard Slatkin leads the Chamber Symphony in Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony and the AMFS premiere of his own ‘Schubertiade: An Orchestral Fantasy’ on August 7.
something we say catches [students’] interest and leads to a path that perhaps they had never considered taking before. Something Slatkin will pass on to students and audiences alike this summer is a composition of his own: Schubertiade: An Orchestral Fantasy. Slatkin, a self-proclaimed “adorer” of Franz Schubert, crafted a sort of tribute to the famous composer, piecing together Schubert’s own works, including his Eighth Symphony, notoriously known as the “Unfinished Symphony.” Slatkin describes this as a “chance to hear about 9 or 10 pieces of Schubert’s, mashed together in one work.”
With this orchestral fantasy, Slatkin invites audiences to imagine the antics of the musicians and artists whom Schubert would have hosted at the musical soirees he was known to put on throughout his brief life. “I thought: ‘What would happen if Schubert were alive now, and composers of today could issue commentaries on his pieces?’” Slatkin poses. Slatkin’s light-hearted celebration of Schubert’s conviviality is complemented by another work new to AMFS: Joan Tower’s Love Returns. Featuring saxophonist Steven Banks, the work is lyrically-driven, as opposed to the rhythmic nature of much of her oeuvre. As he studies her new score, Slatkin notes the reverence he possesses for the work of his colleague, with whom he’s collaborated often over a 50-year friendship. “She has always been the pioneer . . . her music is accessible, but at the same time, always speaks in her own language.” What concludes the program may be more seasoned in performance but is nevertheless sure to be presented with a renewed approach. As Slatkin prepares the score for Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony, From the New World, he does so with a fresh perspective. “I’ve done [the Symphony] so many times that I bring a different perspective to the piece,” he says. “I continue to discover things within it, which is the hallmark of any great work: There’s always something to find.”
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Up in the Sky: Stravinsky Meets EDM “Mount Everest” Continued from Festival Focus page 1
Continued from Festival Focus page 1
In a fitting nod to of [student] felthe EDM environlows—not our ment, the orchesfaculty-student tra will perform mix. There’s only Stravinsky’s The one professionRite of Spring folal player in the lowing a perforOrchestra: the mance in the Klein concer tmaster. Music Tent earlier There’s a kind of that week. “There’s vibe and energy,” something wonsays Spano. derful about the The perforfact that they’re mance is a great doing The Rite of learning opporSpring because tunity for stuit’s got a kind of conducCOURTESY PHOTO: BELLY UP ASPEN dent primal energy in tor Johannes its own way,” says Aspen’s Conducting Academy Orchestra will perform Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring on the main stage at Belly Up Aspen’s second annual “Up in the Sky” Festival Beranek and his Wall Family Music from 2:15–2:45 pm on Saturday, August 8. colleagues, who— Director Robert as classical music continues to grow into non-classical Spano. The 1913 work infamously caused riots in the conspaces—will likely find themselves performing in large cert hall due to its angular and atonal nature. venues throughout their careers. “In my experience, In addition to introducing classical music to a new audience, the collaboration will be an invaluable experience when you’re dealing with amplification and microphones, for the AMFS students in the orchestra. “I think it’s fan- there’s a lot of control you have to give up,” says Spano. tastic that these students have the opportunity to play in “Often, you don’t have the perspective to know exactly that venue. The times that I’ve played in really huge audi- what’s going on.” In a testament to the modern musical landscape, the colence situations have such a different feeling than what laboration between the AMFS and Belly Up at “Up in The we normally do in smaller concert halls or even in the Sky” will give classical music aficionados and EDM ravers Tent,” says Spano. It’s also particularly special that the musicians on stage are alike the chance to experience something totally new. Spano himself is planning to attend: “Of course I’m fellows from the Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra (ACA). It’s “the only orchestra on campus that is made up going to go,” says Spano. “I’m very excited to be there.”
and more. You may ask, is one night enough, or should I go to all three? “The more, the better,” Fletcher says. “You hear the whole arc of Beethoven’s work.” Shaham’s annual appearances at the AMFS—which, in the true nature of the Festival, often include multiple performances, classes, and events—are colored by his lifelong Aspen roots. “Gil is with us every summer and has been probably since he was 3 or 4 years old. His parents came every summer to the Aspen Center for Physics. So even before Gil was a student in our program he was coming to Aspen every summer and coming to the music,” says Fletcher.
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Siblings and Aspen favorites Gil and Orli Shaham team up for Reena Esmail’s new Concerto for Violin and Piano on August 14.
This summer Shaham also joins his sister, pianist Orli Shaham, for an AMFS co-commissioned double concerto by Reena Esmail with the Chamber Symphony on August 14; hosts an artist dinner with his wife, violinist Adele Anthony, on August 12; and teaches young artists in a masterclass on August 4.