Annual Giving FAQ

Ticket purchases make up only 7% of AMFS’s operating costs, while charitable contributions from friends like you account for over 40% of our annual budget.

• Online
• Over the phone — call Kat Berg, Donor Stewardship Manager, at 970 205 5061
• By Mail — Send a check made out to the Aspen Music Festival and School, along with your name, address, and telephone number to: 225 Music School Rd | Aspen, CO 81611
• Gifts by wire transfer, stocks, and IRA distributions are also accepted (see below for more information).

The Annual Fund makes every aspect of the AMFS’s annual Festival and School possible, including need-based student financial assistance, merit scholarships, in-demand artist-faculty, guest artists and conductors, year-round community education programs, winter and summer concert productions, numerous public engagement events, and so much more.

Visit our latest Annual Report and discover the stories behind every gift, from fostering transformational learning opportunities to enriching the cultural fabric of our community.

The AMFS offers four designated giving options, listed below.

• The AMFS Fund - Where we need it most — A gift to The AMFS Fund lends unrestricted assistance to every aspect of our organization from concert performances, student financial aid, and summer staff to facilities management, production costs, and numerous other areas of investment.
• Summer Student Assistance — Provides funding for student scholarships, travel, food, and health services.
• Artist-Faculty — Helps to recruit and retain a competitive roster of accomplished artist-faculty from around the world.
• Local Education and Community Programs — Subsidizes youth music education and free community events for families.

The easiest way to designate your gift is to make a gift online here and select the fund in the drop-down menu. You can also select your preferred fund by checking the appropriate box on our pledge form, or with a simple written request when you send your check.

Increase the impact of your contribution with a corporate matching gift to the AMFS.

Please click here to see if your company will match your donation and to access the forms, guidelines, and instructions that you need to submit a matching gift. Your company’s match may be combined with your personal gift to access benefits associated with the total amount.

Yes, business partnerships and sponsorships play an important role in the AMFS Annual Fund. Businesses may access tickets, invitations to exclusive gatherings, and high-level recognition through their annual gift. For more information, click here or contact Grant Strom, Development Manager at gstrom@aspenmusic.org.

All honorary and memorial gifts can be made here. All honorary and memory gifts are fully tax deductible as allowed by law.

Yes. Please consult your tax professional for specific tax advice regarding gifts of stock or more complex giving vehicles. For more information on gifting stock, please contact Kat Berg, Stewardship Manager at kberg@aspenmusic.org.

For gifts made by check, phone, stock, and wire transfer, you will receive your tax acknowledgement letter from the AMFS Development Office typically within five business days of the receipt of your contribution. Online donors will automatically receive confirmation and tax acknowledgement information via email. For more information regarding your tax acknowledgement, please contact Kat Berg, Stewardship Manager at kberg@aspenmusic.org.

Gifts of $300 or more may include benefits including tickets, invitations to special events, advance seat reservations with validation, and much more. Donors may also choose to waive these benefits for a fully tax-deductible contribution. You can find all donor levels and corresponding benefits here. If you would like a physical copy for your records, you can also download and print our donor benefits here.

No, the Winter Music Recital Series is separate from our Annual Fund campaign. Winter Music sponsorship opportunities—as well as concert passes and individual tickets—are available shortly after the summer season.

Invitations to special donor events will be sent via mail and/or email. Once season tickets are on sale, donor passes can be redeemed for tickets by contacting the AMFS Box Office at (970) 925 9042 or tickets@aspenmusic.org. Passholders may guarantee their seat assignment in advance with a validation fee per ticket.

Tickets typically go on sale in April for the coming summer season. Affiliate level donors and above will have access to an exclusive pre-public sale of summer season tickets. Details about the pre-sale will be sent via email. For questions, please contact Chandler Martin, Director of Annual Giving and Special Events at cmartin@aspenmusic.org.

For members at the Associate level and above, a member of the development team will reach out to you personally to discuss how your support will be recognized in the summer.

Please contact the Box Office at (970) 925 9042 or tickets@aspenmusic.org with any ticketing questions and concerns.

Our fiscal year runs from October 1 until September 30. Your donation and donor benefits will be valid until September 30.

Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Non-deductible portions (fair market value of benefits) can be found here.

If you wish for your gift to be fully tax-deductible, you may decline your benefits by checking the box online and on our donor response card.

According to IRS regulations, gifts from Donor Advised Funds, Family Foundations, and IRAs cannot be made in exchange for goods or services, including tickets or passes. However, the AMFS offers tickets and passes that may be purchased separately. Please consult with your giving institution and the AMFS Development Team concerning your gift and any accompanying donor benefits.

Charitable contributions to AMFS are not refundable and do not guarantee any benefits or specific concert seating at any level.

Encore is the AMFS’s recurring giving society. It is an easy, convenient, and affordable way to invest in the vitality of the AMFS for months and years to come.

You can visit the Encore page to join our recurring giving program and receive donor benefits.

You can find all donor levels and corresponding benefits here. If you would like a physical copy for your records, you can also download and print our donor perquisite chart here.

As a supporter, you're able to manage your recurring donations using your Classy account. Learn how to edit or cancel your recurring donations below.

1.) Open your Supporter Page
2.) Sign into your Classy account
3.) Navigate to the Recurring Donations section
4.) Select Edit Donation under the recurring donation you want to edit
5.) Edit Recurring Donation
6.) From here you can edit the credit card information and the billing address for your recurring donation. Click Save to update your donation information. You can also click on X Cancel My Recurring Donation at the bottom of the form to cancel your recurring donation.

To change the amount you give or the date of the next transaction, please contact Chandler Martin, Director of Annual Giving and Special Events.