Can you recommend a hotel or restaurant for me while I'm in Aspen? What else can I do during my visit?
The Aspen area features a huge variety of lodges and restaurants for every taste and budget. The Aspen Chamber Resort Association (800-26-ASPEN or www.aspenchamber.org) and Snowmass Village Resort Association (800-598-2004 or www.snowmassvillage.com) can help you with specific information.

Also, please especially check out the Festival-friendly businesses listed on this site under "Travel Info." As they support us, we hope you will support them.

How can I hire music students to play at my wedding/party/special event?
Music students are not available for hire from September to mid-June, as they are only in Aspen from late June to late August. During the summer months, you may hire any number and combination of young musicians to play at your special event. Please call Deborah Barnekow, the AMFS Outreach Coordinator at 970-205-5027 at least two weeks before your event to discuss the details. The rate is $85 per student, per hour with a $85 surcharge.

Can I purchase a recording of the concert I just heard?
Unfortunately, no. Though the Festival records all concerts for archival purposes, we are not able to sell these recordings to the public. However, the recordings are available at the Pitkin County Library for your listening pleasure (recordings can be enjoyed at the library's listening stations only and do not circulate - simply search the library catalog to find recorded performances). In the summer, current-year students may request a recording of a performance for educational purposes by placing an order at the Dub Room at the Benedict Music Tent. The Dub Room telephone number is 970-920-2390. Students are charged a fee for cds, approximately $15-$20 depending on the length of the concert, and only cd format is available at this time.

What should I wear to a concert at Harris Concert Hall in the winter?
The atmosphere in Aspen is casual, including at concerts at Harris Hall. Patrons wear anything from jeans and boots to cocktail dresses and sport coats. Please just do be aware that the paths and parking lots can be icy and snowy and you should wear appropriate footwear for the weather.

What should I wear to a concert at the Benedict Music Tent in the summer?
The atmosphere in Aspen is particularly casual in the summer, and all dress is acceptable at all venues. Some will come dressed elegantly for a night out on the town; others will dash in in sneakers and shorts having just returned from a hike. The only "rule" at a Tent concert is to be comfortable.

Evenings cool off considerably in the mountains and patrons should always bring a sweater or light jacket when attending evening events. If it has rained earlier in the day, you may want something heavier to keep warm.

Can I purchase AMFS merchandise before the Festival begins or after it is over?
Season posters (available for most years 1980-2006) may be purchased and shipped to you at any time by calling 970-925-3254 or emailing festival@aspenmusic.org. Costs vary depending on the poster and there is a $6 charge for shipping and handling. Please note: We do not have any of the Piano-on-Skis posters available.

Other AMFS merchandise may be available. To be guaranteed you get what you are looking for, purchase at the kiosk during the 9 weeks of the Festival in the summer.

How can I experience the Festival on a budget?
A full twenty-five percent of Festival events are free and are marked as such on our season calendar. Please enjoy these events anytime. In addition, many more free master classes and student concerts are scheduled weekly and are listed on our "This Week at the Festival" publication, which is distributed every Friday morning and can be found at all Festival locations and other hotels and shops around town.

Concerts at the Benedict Music Tent can always be experienced inexpensively at the open dress rehearsals or for free by sitting on the David Karetsky Music Lawn or in The Music Garden located just outside the Tent.