The Aspen Experience: Mentorship at Aspen

At the heart of the Aspen Music Festival and School's mission is the invaluable opportunity for young musicians to work as colleagues with established professionals in their field. Musicians come not only to perform, but also to connect and share their most authentic art with peers and role models. Over the course of a season in Aspen, students have the chance to develop a deep rapport with their mentors and to learn how to be the best musicians they can be — while those mentors learn a thing or two themselves!

Today, about 500 young talents come to Aspen each summer to live and to hone their craft, and proud alumni fill every corner of the music world — including, to name just a few, conductors Leonard Slatkin and James Conlon; violinists Joshua Bell, Gil Shaham, and Midori; pianists Conrad Tao and Joyce Yang; cellist Alisa Weilerstein; bluegrass-crossover bassist Edgar Meyer; and even former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Learn firsthand about how the magic happens with students and teachers from Aspen's 75th anniversary season!