AMFS 2010 annual report

Aspen Music Festival and School

ANNUAL REPORT2010 Fiscal Year October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010

“Indeed, these kinds of nights are the reason people come to this prestigious festival—to be in an overflowing hall,

feeling the electricity in the air and sharing the excitement of experiencing a new, major work.”

—Denver Post, July 24, 2010,

review of July 22 premiere of

Philip Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 2,

“American Four Seasons”

(Concerto co-comissioned by the AMFS and underwritten by an

endowment gift from Susan and Ford Schumann.)

Photos: Alex Irvin and Carlin MaArt: James Nares, Just Now, 2009

2010 ANNUAL REPORT 1 ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND SCHOOL

“Indeed, these kinds of nights are the reason people come to this prestigious festival—to be in an overflowing hall,

feeling the electricity in the air and sharing the excitement of experiencing a new, major work.”

—Denver Post, July 24, 2010,

review of July 22 premiere of

Philip Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 2,

“American Four Seasons”

(Concerto co-comissioned by the AMFS and underwritten by an

endowment gift from Susan and Ford Schumann.)

In spite of the challenges brought forth in the nation’s

economic climate, our 2010 season quickly became one

of the most memorable summers to date. Unparalleled

artistic vision, a steadfast work ethic, and strong,

harmonious leadership from both president and Board

united to create a season of remarkable success and

pure delight for all. We experienced unforgettable

performances, thrilling premieres, and as always, a

celebration of music, friends, and life that can only be

found in Aspen.

Propelling the Festival’s success was an unwavering

commitment to its mission of artistic integrity, innovation,

and joy of musical expression. Our season ended with

a deficit only a fraction of its initial projection, made

possible by the loyalty demonstrated by each and

every stakeholder. Our patrons extended their support,

management remained vigilant, and ticket sales flourished.

We can all be proud of these accomplishments.

I am deeply honored to be chair of this great institution,

which has been such an important part of my life for

fifty-seven years. The Festival has extremely strong

fundamentals—on the Board and National Council, in

the administration, volunteers, and faculty, and in its rich

programs and traditions. We have many exciting initiatives

ahead of us, the redevelopment of the Campus, as well

as a music director search, ambitious artistic projects,

and more. Together, we will bring the Festival and School

forward into its next great era.

Kay Bucksbaum

Chair, Board of Trustees

Our 2010 season theme, “The Magic Years,” could

not have better represented the affects of joy and

hope that permeated the summer.

Through discipline, close management, and great

talents, we have navigated the economic storm

gracefully and emerged as an even stronger

organization. Intelligent planning boosted

attendance, nearly erased any 2010 deficits, and

most important of all, provided greater value to

our students. We have truly proven what amazing

achievements can be reached when pulling together

for the advancement of our mission.

The Festival and School is now poised to venture

into a monumental new phase in its history. On the

verge of a new music director appointment, the

redevelopment of our Campus into a state-of-the-art

center of study, and under the new spirit of Board

engagement, Aspen will become an even higher

pinnacle of musical inspiration for the world’s most

renowned artists and talented students.

I thank our Board of Trustees, Life Trustees, National

Council, artist-faculty, volunteers, and administration

for their impeccable work and commitment to

achieving excellence.

Alan Fletcher

President and CEO

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Phot

o by

Lynn G

oldsm

ith

ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND SCHOOL 2 2010 ANNUAL REPORT

As the last notes of the Aspen Festival Orchestra’s heart-

thumping performance of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring,

conducted by Aspen Music Festival and School alumna Marin

Alsop, faded on August 22, the AMFS’s 2010 season came to

a triumphant close. Throughout the internationally acclaimed

Festival, audiences filled the Benedict Music Tent and Harris

Concert Hall, and concerts were broadcast to millions nationally

and internationally via new or increased media partnerships.

More than seventy-five thousand ticket holders attended

approximately 320 events, resulting in ticket sales for standard

events (excludes benefits and special events) of $1,243,853.

This exceeded the budgeted sales goal by four percent and

reflects a nine percent increase over last summer’s sales, even

with the Festival being one week shorter than in 2009.

The summer’s student class was made up of 632 talented

musicians (average age: 22) who traveled to Aspen from all over

the world—36 countries in all, including China, Bulgaria, Peru,

2010: “The Magic Years” and MoreThe 2010 season

(July 1 to August 22) combined artistic success

with administrative finesse. With much planning and

discipline, the Festival came through a challenging

economic year without sacrificing core values.

Violin star and Aspen alumnus Gil Shaham gave a glorious performance on the Festival’s opening Friday.


and Australia; forty-one states; and six Canadian provinces.

There were 372 first-year students with the rest returning for

a second, third, fourth, or even fifth summer. Student surveys

showed their experiences were almost uniformly excellent. See

specific statistics on page 7.

Praised widely for the richness of its artistic program, the

summer season explored “The Magic Years,” or the first decade

of each of the last three centuries—decades that saw great

creative explosions across disciplines. The summer offered its

signature breadth and depth, including:

n The U.S. premiere of alumnus Philip Glass’s Violin

Concerto No. 2, “American Four Seasons,”

co-commissioned by the AMFS, played by violin star

Robert McDuffie along with artist-faculty and students

n The Aspen Opera Theater Center’s staging of the

“Beaumarchais Trilogy,” presenting all three operas based

on playwright Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais’s

Figaro plays

n A spectacular master class and benefit evening with

celebrated alumna Renée Fleming

n A stunning dinner on the Tent stage following a

performance by Broadway star Audra McDonald

n Creative classical events with artists such as Time for

Three, cellist and alumna Alisa Weilerstein, and bassist

and alumnus Edgar Meyer with Béla Fleck on banjo and

Zakir Hussain on tabla

Print media coverage ran the spectrum from the New York

Times to the Aspen Times. New York Times writer Dan Wakin

spoke glowingly of his musical experience while here, writing that

a visitor could see “...the festival in all its glory during the three

days: the homey production of ‘Figaro’; an offbeat orchestra

program conducted by Robert Spano, featuring an appealing

young soloist, the cellist Sol Gabetta; a chamber music concert

with moving, dynamic performances of Brahms’s Piano Trio

No. 1 and Peter Maxwell Davies’s anarchic ‘Eight Songs for a

Mad King,’ a morning of opera scenes in the historic Wheeler

Opera House that brought together young singers (including

a standout 27-year-old soprano, Golda Schultz), conducting

students, an orchestra and a completely involved audience.”

In accord with the AMFS’s strategic plan adopted in spring

2009, the Festival was shortened by one week and the student

body reduced by 117 through the elimination of Sinfonia

and enrollment reductions in opera and piano. Together

these initiatives saved more than $600,000. Combined with

administrative cost-cutting and increased generosity among

loyal donors, the Festival met the challenges presented by the

difficult economic climate and closed the year with an operating

deficit of less than half of one percent of the budget.

In June, Kay Bucksbaum assumed chairmanship of the

Aspen Music Festival and School, a position she will hold for

three years. In addition, President and CEO Alan Fletcher signed

a two-year contract. Together these actions helped create a

stable, productive environment for the institution. As it has

done for the past sixty-one summers, the Festival community

pulled together to overcome any difficulties in its path. Many

Board and National Council members increased their giving;

and artist-faculty and administration worked overtime to

accommodate changes and initiatives necessitated by the

strategic plan.

In all, the 2010 year proved that through quality, disciplined

management, and the dedication of the Festival’s donors, artist-

faculty, patrons, volunteers, and administration, the Aspen

Music Festival and School remains one of classical music’s

finest institutions and offers a truly magical experience.

AMFS Vision Adopted as part of the 2009 strategic plan,

the Aspen Music Festival and School’s

Vision has four parts:

n Bringing the joy and inspiration of music

to the world

n Uniting education and performance

n Honoring creativity, innovation,

excellence, and friendship

n Achieving artistic brilliance

AMFS brings Met: Live in HD to AspenIn February, the AMFS inaugurated its Met: Live in HD series, a presentation of four choice Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. Beautifully screened at the Wheeler Opera house and enjoyed by enthusiastic audiences, the series was made possible by the underwriting of Mr. and Mrs. Sid R. Bass.


With more than 320 events ranging from full orchestral

concerts to opera productions, chamber music, children’s

events, contemporary music, program recitals, lectures,

and panels, the 2010 season of the Aspen Music Festival

and School brought together more than 800 musicians for

hundreds of hours of public performances.

By the numbers in 2010: 320 events, 75,000 attendees,

9% increase in ticket sales, millions of new listeners

on the airwaves.

Part 1: Bringing the joy and inspiration of music to the world

AMFSVisionAT WORK IN

2010

Argentine cellist Sol Gabetta made a stunning Aspen debut.


Sidney E. Frank Foundation Supports “Sound of Aspen” with Extraordinary Gift

In May, the Aspen Music Festival and School was awarded a $243,106 grant from

the Sidney E. Frank Foundation, the Festival’s first gift from this foundation.

The gift underwrote the purchase of state-of-the art equipment to transform

the quality of Aspen’s concert recordings, permitting the AMFS’s Edgar Stanton

Audio Recording Institute to create a consistent “Aspen sound” throughout the

Festival’s many performances. The gift also underwrote the two-week residency of

the popular radio show Performance Today in Aspen and will fund the completion

of the Festival’s audio archives.

Said AMFS President and CEO Alan Fletcher in a statement, “We are deeply

grateful to the Sidney E. Frank Foundation for a gift that makes it possible for

people all over the world to enjoy the magic of the Festival. We are also deeply

grateful for the portion of this grant that allows us to complete our audio archive.

For a music organization, its history, its legacy is found in its music, and these

funds will allow us to finish this incredibly important project.”

n Healthy attendance; increased ticket revenue

Approximately seventy-five thousand attendees came to the

summer’s events, with an additional 2,000-plus attending

winter events. Even though the season was one week shorter

than last year, ticket sales showed a healthy increase and

came in at four percent over budget and nine percent over

last year’s revenues for standard events (excludes benefits

and special events).

n Broadcast to millions via new media partnerships

Of special note in 2010 were several major new or

increased broadcast partnerships that brought the AMFS

to millions of new listeners outside of Aspen. Partners

include the top tier of the classical broadcast universe

and brought the AMFS onto WQXR in New York, WGBH’s

classical station WCRB in Boston, Colorado Public Radio

in Denver, and throughout the world via the popular radio

show Performance Today and the European Broadcast

Union. Performance Today broadcast its show directly from

Aspen during a two-week residency in August, reaching

1.5 million listeners on 245 stations each week. The AMFS

also continued its highly successful partnership with

Aspen Public Radio, which carried several live broadcasts

during the summer.

n Expanded service to Valley schoolchildren

To serve Aspen-area communities, the AMFS continued its

MORE (Musical Odysseys Reaching Everyone) program,

bringing music into the schools throughout the Roaring

Fork Valley. In addition, the Festival expanded its highly

successful PALS program (Passes and Lessons for

Students) from thirty students in its inaugural year of

2009 to sixty in summer 2010. This program selects local

children to take weekly lessons with fellowship students,

attend enrichment classes, and attend any regular event

with a parent for free.

AMFS broadcast around the world

AMFS broadcasts from 2010 will

be picked up throughout the winter

and spring on stations all over the

world affiliated with the European

Broadcast Union. Countries that

have participated so far include:

Italy

Finland

Japan

Netherlands

Ireland

South Korea

Australia

Poland

Romania

Croatia

Moldavia

Ukraine

Turkey


In 2010, Aspen was especially fortunate to feature not only its

long-established alumni stars, but also four recent alumni whose

careers are taking off.

In Aspen, the students and artist-faculty not only learn and

teach, but perform together. This unique combination of

education and performance gives Aspen events a special

energy, frequently commented on by audience members

and critics alike.

n Recent alumni returned as acclaimed stars

In 2010, Aspen was especially fortunate to feature not

only its long-established alumni stars, but also four alumni

whose careers are now taking off: pianists Conrad Tao,

Yuja Wang, and Joyce Yang, and cellist Alisa Weilerstein.

Opera Gala Continues Success in Seventh Year

Summer 2010 saw the seventh year of the highly successful opera gala, conceived by the late Board member Harley

Baldwin and now hosted by donor Richard Edwards. The event raised $104,000 for the Festival and showcased top

vocal student talent. Since the event began, the Opera Gala events have raised nearly $1.2 million for the AMFS.

Part 2: Uniting education and performance


2010AACA Piano Competition winner Konstantine Valianatos (right) performed Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3.


2010 Season Benefit with Dinner on the Tent Stage

The 2010 season benefit event featured

four-time Tony Award and two-time Grammy

Award-winner Audra McDonald in an intimate

evening of song at Harris Concert Hall.

Following the concert, patrons were invited to

stroll through the luminaria-lit underground

tunnel leading from Harris Hall to the

Benedict Music Tent to enjoy a magnificent

dinner on the Tent stage (an Aspen first!). An

ensemble of AMFS students played as the

diners enjoy their meals and the company of

Ms. McDonald.

Student Experience “Excellent”

More than 95% of students filled out an exit

survey, giving us an enormous amount of detailed

data on students’ musical and extra-curricular

experiences. Highlights include:

n 93% said their overall experience was “good”

or “excellent” (up one percentage point from

2009)

n 94% rated their private lesson experience

“good” or “excellent”

n 91% rated their improvement as a musician

as “good” or “excellent”

The comments included some delightful

feedback, such as “I had a really fantastic

summer. Just keep doing what you are

doing!” and “This summer was a life-changing

experience—everything came together.”

n Artist-faculty, students, and guest artists performed

with and learned from each other

As always in Aspen, seasoned professionals and students

mixed in stimulating and surprising ways. Alumnus and

artist-faculty member Robert McDuffie played Bartók duos

with 2010 student Xiaoxiag Qiang, the same ones he played

when he was a student. “I was the young, impressionable

kid when I played them with Yehudi [Menuhin],” he recalled

before the performance. “And now I’ll be playing with an

up-and-coming violin student in Aspen. It’s going to be very

personal for me because of those two influences, and the

inversion of being the older fiddle player now.”

Also of note: Longtime artist-faculty including the

American Brass Quintet, the American String Quartet,

Sharon Isbin, and Ann Schein gave beautiful recitals, artist-

faculty member Robert Lipsett started a new series called

String Showcase to spotlight young talent, and guest artists

Michelle DeYoung and Sol Gabetta offered their musical

wisdom to the next generation in master classes.

n Educational gala event with alumna Renée Fleming

raised more than $117,000

Soprano and Aspen alumna Renée Fleming participated

in a special day-long celebration that included a master

class, a screening of her 2008 Metropolitan Opera

Opening Gala performance, and an elegant dinner in

the Greenwald Pavilion. Fleming engaged deeply with

the students at the master class, recalling her own

challenges—and triumphs—in developing her technique.

At the dinner, she spoke touchingly of her time as a

student. The event was generously made possible by hosts

and underwriters Mr. and Mrs. Sid R. Bass.

Photo by Nora Feller


The Aspen Music Festival and School has always been a

place for experimentation and innovation. In 2010, this

could be seen in the presentation of many contemporary

works, including those by the Festival’s own composers-in-

residence Christopher Rouse, Sydney Hodkinson, Steven

Stucky, and George Tsontakis; the U.S. premiere of an

AMFS co-commission, Philip Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 2,

“American Four Seasons;” and two other premieres.

Said alumna and violin star Sarah Chang in a 2010 interview that

every summer “Even if it’s for four days, I need my Aspen fix.

It purifies the soul, to come make music with your friends.”

Part 3: Honoring creativity, innovation, excellence, and friendship


2010

The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet performed to the music of a live orchestra on August 16.


Premieres in 2010

Philip Glass’s Violin Concerto No. 2, “American Four Seasons” (U.S. premiere and AMFS co-commission)

Trevor Gureckis’s Fixated Nights (World premiere)

Kenneth Hesketh’s Dei destini incrociati (U.S. premiere)

n Philip Glass’s “American Four Seasons” performed

by fellow Aspen alumnus Robert McDuffie

The Glass work is especially significant to Aspen since

both its composer and its primary champion and

performer, violinist Robert McDuffie, are Aspen alumni.

It was presented in concert on July 22 at Harris Concert

Hall, with McDuffie, artist-faculty member David Halen,

and AMFS students. As an encore, the group played a

memorable movement from Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,”

the inspiration for the work.

n AMFS received ASCAP Award for fourth consecutive

year

In recognition of its commitment to the living art form

of classical music, the AMFS received, for the fourth

consecutive season, the American Society of Composers,

Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) award for programming

of contemporary music in the festivals category. This

award for adventurous programming recognizes American

orchestras whose past season prominently featured music

written within the last twenty-five years.

n New collaborations added

In the spirit of friendship and creativity, the AMFS

continued its collaborations with Aspen institutions,

including Anderson Ranch Arts Center, the Aspen Institute,

Aspen Public Radio, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, and Jazz

Aspen Snowmass. In addition, the institution partnered

with new local and national institutions, including the

Basalt Public Library for a summer concert series, the

Metropolitan Opera for the Live in HD screenings, and

Performance Today for its two-week residency in Aspen.

Extraordinary Volunteerism

For twenty-seven years volunteer and Life Trustee Nancy

Odén has run the Lemonade Stand on the Tent Plaza,

feeding countless patrons and musicians, and raising

many thousands for student scholarship. Nancy retired

from this volunteer job at the end of the 2010 summer,

just one year short of her eightieth birthday. The Festival

thanks Nancy for her service and salutes her for her

amazing dedication to the Festival all these years.

n Artists return for rejuvenation in Aspen

On a purely personal level, the 2010 season saw the

return of many members of the Festival community whose

summers would not be complete without the camaraderie

that is so cherished in Aspen. As alumna and violin star

Sarah Chang said in a 2010 interview of her annual visit to

Aspen: “Even if it’s for four days, I need my Aspen fix,” she

said. “It purifies the soul, to come make music with your

friends.”

Photo by Dustin Franz


Artistic brilliance has always been a hallmark of the Aspen

Music Festival and School, and in 2010 reviewers and

patrons noted the particularly consistent high level of

performance. Wrote Aspen Times reviewer Harvey Steiman

on July 13, “Do you go with Joshua Bell’s fresh, finesse-

ful violin concerto in an all-Mendelssohn concert led by

conductor Nicholas McGegan? The incendiary, sparks-

flying Brahms piano quartet and quintet from the Takács

Quartet with guest artists Anton Nel and Alexander Kerr?

The pure, warm, sensitive pianism of Ingrid Fliter’s recital?

Or Christian Arming’s majestic conducting of the Mahler

Ninth? You pick. They were all great.”

In 2010 reviewers and patrons noted the

particularly consistent high level of performance at

the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Part 4: Achieving artistic brilliance


2010Andreas Aroditis (Pierre Beaumarchais) and Christin Wismann (Marie Antoinette) in The Ghosts of Versailles.


$5 Million Pledged by Edlis and Neeson

In June, Aspen Music Festival and School supporters Stefan Edlis and

Gael Neeson pledged an extraordinary $5 million gift in support of the

redevelopment of the Festival’s 23-acre Castle Creek Campus. It will be

recognized by naming a key building, the Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson

Rehearsal Hall, which will replace the current building known as Opera Hall.

The hall is conceived to be a superior large rehearsal hall with sterling

acoustics, clean sight lines, and harmonious architectural lines. It is planned

to comfortably fit an orchestra, or accommodate large opera scenes. Through

large-scale plate glass windows, it will overlook the pastoral beauty of the

Campus’s two ponds.

“We love the Music Festival and believe strongly in its need for rehearsal

space that is not only technically sound but also a beautiful example of the

harmony that can exist between design and nature,” said Edlis.

n Sensational artist debuts in 2010

Artists making their debuts in 2010 included: vocalists

Isabel Bayrakdarian, soprano, Thomas Meglioranza,

baritone, and Audra McDonald, soprano; cellist Sol

Gabetta; pianist Steven Osborne; flutist Marina Piccinini;

and ensembles Brasil Guitar Duo (guitarists Douglas Lora

and João Luiz), Time for Three (violinists Zachary De Pue

and Nicolas Kendall and bassist Ranaan Meyer), and the

Fleck/Hussain/Meyer Trio with Béla Fleck, banjo, Zakir

Hussain, tabla, and Edgar Meyer, bass.

n Creative and diverse programming

Expanding the classical box was the category-shattering

trio Time for Three, cellist Alisa Weilerstein with hyper-

accordion player Michael Ward-Bergeman, and the

recital with Fleck, Meyer, and Hussain. Appreciation for

the diversified programming came from many, including

Steiman, who wrote in the Aspen Times: “Tablas, banjos

and hyper-accordions do not usually appear on programs

at the Aspen Music Festival, but what a refreshing

and dazzling change of pace they provided this week.

The sheer virtuosity of masters such as Zakir Hussain

(tabla), Béla Fleck (banjo) and Michael Ward-Bergeman

(hyper-accordion) puts them in that rarefied place where

classical finds harmony with the rest of the musical

world.”

n “Beaumarchais Trilogy” operas a triumph

Another artistic triumph was the Aspen Opera

Theater Center’s production over the summer of the

“Beaumarchais Trilogy,” a presentation, in order, of

the three operas inspired by each of playwright Pierre

Beaumarchais’s three Figaro plays. AOTC director Edward

Berkeley pointed out that “By doing all three [operas] in

one season, we—performing company and audience—get

to witness the intense develop ment of themes from

different perspectives.... One group of characters grows

from newlyweds into people with eyes on greater prizes:

surviving betrayals to find deep er love.”

n Introduction of the String Showcase series

Also of note was the new free series of concerts called

“String Showcase,” which featured the best and brightest

of the 2010 string student class. Audiences were invited to

get to know these incredible young talents in an intimate

and appealing interview-and-performance format.


Sarina Zhang was the 2010 winner of the Low Strings Concerto Competition. She performed the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 on August 3.


The Festival acknowledges continuing support of its corporate sponsors in 2010:

Clos Du Val Wine Co. Ltd.; DTS, Inc.; Fiji Water; and Steinway & Sons.

BOARD OF TRUSTEESKay S. Bucksbaum, ChairFonda Paterson, Vice ChairMichael Murray, TreasurerDanner Schefler, SecretaryAlan Fletcher, President and CEONadine AsinThomas H. BaerEdward BerkeleySandra K. BishopMitchell CaplanMartin CarverJohn DonnellJerry EberhardtStefan EdlisAlan EnglanderNanette B. FingerJane FrazerAnn B. FriedmanNancy GoeresSanford GrossmanJonathan HaasDavid HalenPer HannevoldConnie HeardShirley B. HelzbergEllen J. HockadaySydney HodkinsonRobert HurstGerald KatcherMichael KleinBarbara KovalFred KuckerRay MaseAnthony MazzaStephanie NaidoffJanet O’ConnorPatricia PapperVirginia PearceAllen QuestromJohn RojakArlene Lidsky SalomonJane ShermanCita StelzerAlison TealJoaquin ValdepeñasCarrie WellsHarriet ZimmermanWalter Isaacson, ex-officio

HONORARY TRUSTEESGordon Hardy President EmeritusJoan W. HarrisItzhak PerlmanPinchas Zukerman

LIFE TRUSTEESPaula BernsteinWilliam BernsteinMatthew Bucksbaum Noël R. CongdonMarian Lyeth DavisAlfred DietschJohn DoremusWilliam DunawayMartin FlugGerri KaretskyNancy OdénCharles PatersonBetty SchermerW. Ford SchumannDennis VaughnKenneth R. Whiting

NATIONAL COUNCILCarrie Wells, PresidentTerry AndersonHelen BadtMarilyn and George BakerJudith Barnard and Michael

FainMercedes T. BassSusan BeckermanVivian and Norman BelmonteBarbara and Bruce BergerGiancarla BertiCarl BickertRita BlittGabriel BrenerStephen Brint and Mark

BrownKatherine C. BuchananEric CalderonIshik CamogluTina ChenBunni and Paul CopakenNoël R. CongdonPaula CrownSylvie and Gary CrumLorraine and Alexander DellHolly DremanDrake DuaneAntonia Paepcke DuBrulPaul F. EckelMarcy EdelsteinRichard EdwardsJane B. EisnerShannon FairbanksM. Joan FarverAnne FeldEsther FergusonJessica and John Fullerton

Nancy FurlottiJulie GersonGordon P. GettyMary GieseSandra S. GodfreyJan and Ronald GreenbergGerald GreenwaldKathryn L. GuthrieJulia and Edward HansenH. Rodes HartLita Warner HellerLinda Vitti HerbstDeborah and Larry HoffmanAnn F. HudsonFern K. HurstMary Ann HydeSylvia and Dick KaufmanDonald KeltnerNancy KempfAnna-Lisa KlettenbergMel KnyperPaul KrauschKatherine and James KurtzEvelyn LauderBertel LewisHenry LoweMarianne LubarPatty and Robert MackHolly MadiganRobert MalottKathy MayerAnne Welsh McNultyLeslie McQuownNancy E. MeinigGail and Alec MerriamLisa MesdagF. Mead MetcalfBettie McGowin MillerDiane MillerDiane MorrisMarcie Jordan MusserIlene and Jeff NathanJudy Neisser

Werner E. NeumanAnn and William NitzeKarin Reid OffieldDick OsurJean and Allen ParelmanJames R. PattonMerbie PayneDorothy and Aaron PodhurstDana and Gene PowellKathryn and Richard

RabinowThomas ReaganLecie and Jack ResneckLynda ResnickRobert RichSelma RoseNancy RubinChester SalomonThomas SandoMary and Patrick ScanlanGloria ScharlinCaryn and Rudi ScheidtJune and Paul SchorrJanne and Robert SchultzMasami ShigetaLois SiegelVictoria SimmsAlbert H. SmallVictoria SmithAudrey and Edward SpiegelJudith Zee Steinberg and

Paul J. HoenmansHelen E. StoneMarcia StricklandSusan ThomasRoberta TurkatThomas van StraatenLorne WeilBeatrice WeltersPhilip WinnMartha YocumTamsen Ann Ziff

In Memoriam

It is with sadness we note the passing of Life Trustee John

Stern; Board members Leonard “Lanny” Gertler and

Don Weiss; former Board member Alexander “Zander”

Kaspar; National Council members Merrill Ford, Audrey

Greenberg, Edward Hansen, and Susan Helen Horsey;

artist-faculty member Beth Newdome; piano technician

Peter Deutz; and longtime patrons Morton Heller and

Richard Goldstein.

Lists as of September 30, 2010


2010 ARTIST-FACULTY

VOICEVinson ColeElizabeth HynesStephen KingW. Stephen Smith

ASPEN OPERA THEATER CENTEREdward Berkeley, directorRichard BadoFlorence Blager, voice workshopGarnett BruceElizabeth Buccheri Brian DeMarisMary DuncanMiah ImJoseph LiKenneth MerrillGayletha NicholsJennifer RingoJeanne SlaterDiane Zola

PIANOMisha Dichter Joseph Kalichstein Yoheved KaplinskyAnton Nel John O’ConorAnn ScheinRita SloanVirginia WeckstromWu Han

COLLABORATIVE ARTISTSRita Sloan, director

VIOLINRenata Arado Earl Carlyss Laurie Carney David ChanCarole CowanEllen dePasqualeEugene DruckerHerbert GreenbergDavid HalenCornelia HeardPaul KantorMasao KawasakiAlexander Kerr Gary Levinson Espen Lilleslåtten Cho-Liang Lin Robert LipsettRobert McDuffie Sylvia RosenbergPhilip Setzer Naoko Tanaka

Bing Wang Peter Winograd

VIOLADaniel Avshalomov Catharine CarrollVictoria Chiang James Dunham Lawrence Dutton Jeffrey Irvine Masao KawasakiLynne Ramsey Sabina Thatcher Stephen Wyrczynski

CELLORichard AaronDarrett AdkinsDavid Finckel William GrubbAlan Harris Eric Kim Wolfram Koessel Michael MermagenAndrew Shulman

BASSBruce BransbyChristopher Hanulik Albert LaszloEugene Levinson Edgar Meyer

FLUTEMartha Aarons Nadine AsinBonita Boyd Mark Sparks

OBOEJeannette BittarPedro Diaz, English horn Elaine Douvas Richard Woodhams

CLARINETBurt Hara Bil Jackson Theodore OienJoaquin Valdepeñas

BASSOONSteven Dibner Nancy GoeresPer Hannevold

FRENCH HORNEli Epstein David WakefieldJohn Zirbel

TRUMPETKevin CobbRaymond MaseLouis Ranger

TROMBONEPer BrevigChristopher Dudley Michael PowellJohn D. Rojak, bass trombone

TUBAWarren Deck

PERCUSSIONJonathan HaasDavid HerbertDouglas Howard Thomas Stubbs

HARPNancy Allen Deborah Hoffman

CLASSICAL GUITAR Sharon Isbin, director

CHAMBER MUSICFumiko Kawasaki Members of the artist-faculty

CENTER FOR ADVANCED QUARTET STUDIESEarl Carlyss, director James Dunham American String Quartet Emerson String Quartet Sylvia RosenbergTakács Quartet

ALEXANDER TECHNIQUELauren Schiff

LUTHIERJoan Balter

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CONDUCTING AT ASPENLarry Rachleff, guest directorRobert Spano, guest directorHugh Wolff, guest directorMurry Sidlin, associate director

and program coordinator

SUSAN AND FORD SCHUMANN CENTER FOR COMPOSITION STUDIESMaster Class Program Christopher Rouse Steven Stucky

Individual Studies Program Sydney HodkinsonGeorge Tsontakis Film Scoring Program Thomas Haines, directorDavid NewmanJeff Rona Jack Smalley

VISITING COMPOSERSJohn CoriglianoMichael GandolfiStephen HartkeEric NathanKevin Puts

ASPEN CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLESydney Hodkinson, conductor

EDGAR STANTON AUDIO RECORDING INSTITUTE Jack RennerJuergen Wahl

VISITING LECTURERSGraeme BooneHarlow Robinson

ENSEMBLES-IN-RESIDENCEAmerican Brass QuintetAmerican String Quartet Emerson String Quartet Takács Quartet

ASSISTANT CONDUCTORCase Scaglione

ARTIST-FACULTY EMERITUSAdele Addison, voiceRobert Biddlecome, tromboneGabriel Chodos, pianoMichael Czajkowski, compositionJohn Graham, violaIrene Gubrud, voiceGordon Hardy, president, deanJennifer John, violinJorge Mester, music directorAntoinette Perry, pianoSylvia Plyler, voiceLeonard Sharrow, bassoonDennis Smylie, bass clarinetPaul Sperry, voiceHerbert Stessin, pianoViviane Thomas, voiceAbe Torchinsky, tubaMartin Verdrager, theoryDick Waller, clarinetWin-Bin Yim, violin

List as of June 29, 2010


Student Golda Schulz, from South Africa, gave a remarkable performance as Rosina in The Ghosts of Versailles.


Artist-faculty member Ray Mase backstage with a student at the Benedict Music Tent.

More than $2 million in Financial Aid to Students

The Aspen Music Festival and School gave away more than $2 million in scholarship and fellowship aid to 436

students in 2010, with almost seventy percent of the student body receiving aid. Even with the decrease in

student body by 117, the AMFS did not reduce the number of fellowships (235), resulting in a higher propor-

tion of deserving students receiving full tuition, housing, and a travel stipend.


2010 REVENUE

3% Other income

19% Investment income

25% Student fees

39% Development

12% Ticket sales

4% Other earned income

2010 EXPENSES

3% Marketing

4% Programs and cost of sales

9% Program service compensation

17% Management and general costs

24% Student assistance and school costs

3% Guest artist compensation

24% Administration compensation

17% Faculty compensation

2010 Revenue and Expenses (October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010)


MUSIC ASSOCIATES OF ASPEN

Statement of Revenue and ExpensesSeptember 30, 2010

Variance 2010 of Forecast 2009 Final Budget to Budget FinalRevenue Student fees $3,158,627 $3,371,800 ($213,173) $3,796,761 Ticket sales 1,471,532 1,403,500 68,032 1,579,178 Other earned income 453,999 483,600 (29,601) 485,939 Development 4,924,776 4,700,550 224,226 4,835,192 Investment income 2,381,140 2,378,000 3,140 2,841,310 Other income 336,833 340,100 (3,267) 277,993

Total revenue 12,726,907 12,677,550 49,357 13,816,373

Expenses Student assistance and other school costs: Student assistance 2,008,147 2,050,200 (42,053) 2,207,486 Other school costs 1,088,817 1,196,550 (107,733) 1,369,320

Student assistance and school costs 3,096,964 3,246,750 (149,786) 3,576,806

Faculty compensation 2,187,221 2,245,700 (58,479) 2,791,350 Guest artist compensation 349,858 411,150 (61,292) 468,519 Administrative compensation 2,924,137 2,949,100 (24,963) 3,092,036 Program service compensation 1,115,332 1,148,925 (33,593) 1,291,449 Programs and cost of sales 448,544 458,100 (9,556) 629,645 Marketing 326,943 335,300 (8,357) 307,335 Management and general costs 2,208,151 1,949,400 258,751 1,940,785

Total expenses 12,657,150 12,744,425 (87,275) 14,097,925

Net from operations 69,757 (66,875) 136,632 (281,552)

Capital Improvements - Unfunded (119,018) (119,018) (140,498) Transfer from endowment 55,261 55,261 422,050 Cushion / contingency (150,000) 150,000

Net revenue $0 ($216,875) $216,875 $0


In 2010, the Aspen Music Festival and School

implemented the major initiatives of the strategic plan

adopted in the spring of 2009. These were designed to

strengthen the AMFS’s programs and streamline costs; the

net result was an improvement in the student experience

and a budget savings of more than $600,000.

In addition, the AMFS was challenged to respond to

the dramatic downturn of the economy, which brought a

decrease in net revenue of more than $1.4 million dollars

from 2008 to 2010 (a loss of $560,000 in contributions,

$479,000 in endowment draw, $105,000 in program

book ad sales, and $251,000 in unplanned expenses).

Administration addressed this nearly $800,000 shortfall

with strategic savings in administrative salary and benefits,

artistic programs, housing, and technology, and by

increasing rental income.

The result was a budget with a very small deficit

of $55,261-—only one half of one percent of total

budgeted revenue. The Board originally approved a

budget that contemplated a deficit of $216,875, however

administration was able to shrink the deficit significantly.

Student enrollmentPer the Aspen Music Festival and School’s strategic plan,

student enrollment decreased by 117 students in 2010.

This followed the elimination of Sinfonia and decreases

in the piano and opera programs. Since it costs the

Festival more to train a student than he or she pays, the

enrollment reduction saved the Festival $120,000 in

2010.

Ticket salesIn 2010, the AMFS reduced the length of the Festival

from nine to eight weeks. By starting one week later, the

AMFS was able to cut costs during a week with little ticket

revenue. Regular season ticket sales were stronger than in

2009 by $62,000—in spite of the fact that the Festival was

one week shorter than 2009. Significant increases were

seen with Aspen Chamber Symphony and opera sales

which were 40% and 12% higher, respectively. Special

events performed less well, coming in $25,000 over

budget but still $136,000 less than in 2009. This was due

to natural programming variances that occur year-to-year.

DevelopmentAnnual fund contributions began to climb back to their

2008 levels with many Trustees increasing their gifts

and new foundation revenue. Special benefits were very

successful and exceeded budget by $80,000.

Investment incomeThe AMFS’s endowment policy is to draw 5% of the

previous 24-month average balance, net of fees, for

operating. With the downturn in the market, the draw

decreased by $450,000 in 2010.

The AMFS’s invested endowment had a return of 12.4%

for fiscal year 2010 (S&P return was 10.1%) to end at a

balance of $53.7 million. In the past ten years, the AMFS’s

average annual return was 7.4% as compared to the

S&P average annual return of -.4%.

Notes

Vice President and Dean Joan Gordon with a student at a July 2010 String Showcase.


Guest conductor and AMFS alumna Marin Alsop, students, and artist-faculty at the closing performance of the 2010 AMFS season.

“Conductor Marin Alsop put an exclamation point on the Aspen Music Festival season by whipping up a rip-snorting

Rite of Spring in Sunday afternoon’s final concert to top off what has been a season of often-exciting and

well-played orchestral programs.”

—Aspen Times, August 24, 2010 review

of final concert of the 2010 season

Music Associates of Aspen

Aspen Music Festival and School2 Music School RoadAspen, Colorado 81611

2010 Annual Report

970-925-3254www.aspenmusicfestival.com

AMFS 2010 annual report

Documents

Transcript of AMFS 2010 annual report