Summer music festivals are one of the glories of the season for any music lover. But what’s it like to perform at a summer music festival—for a musician? We ask musicians from festivals around the country to share their unique perspectives. Aspen Music Festival and School

Elle Logan

Aspen, Colorado June 29–August 20 ROBERT SPANO, music director, Aspen Music Festival and School

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What scores work best in the great outdoors? Were you ever surprised that a score that might seem too quiet or challenging for the outdoors works surprisingly well? At Aspen, the Tent is such a great performing space, everything works! Can you describe the experience of performing under a night sky, or in an amphitheater in a woodland? The sounds of nature definitely become part of the music. What’s the “best” moment you’ve experienced performing at Aspen? What’s the “craziest” moment? Peter Grimes, with dreary weather and a knockout performance by Anthony Dean Griffey in the title role, was truly a highlight. What would you as a concertgoer want to experience at a summer music festival? Great music! symphony

SPRING 2017