About Me!
Hi! My name is Aine Mullen; I am a violist from South Florida entering my senior year at Stetson University where I study Music Performance. Serving as principal violist in both the symphony and chamber orchestras, I have also appeared as a soloist with the orchestra after winning the 2025 Concerto Competition. I will also be performing Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with the orchestra this spring, as well as when the orchestra goes on tour in Germany this summer. In 2024, I performed with my string quartet in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, and I was fortunate enough to return there to perform as a soloist this past March. I regularly perform in professional orchestras such as the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and the Villages Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as subbing with the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra and Ocala Symphony Orchestra. Previous competitions include the 2025 and 2026 Neil and Dolly Huhta Instrumental Competition, in which I was selected as a finalist both times, as well as the 2025 Vienna International Music Competition where I was also selected as a finalist. Previous summer festivals include Eastern Music Festival (2023, 2024), Texas Music Festival (2025), and Orfeo Music Festival (2025).
What is the Aspen Music Festival and School?
I am happy to announce that I was accepted to the Aspen Music Festival, one of the most renowned summer music festivals in the country and the world. Aspen is an 8-week program in Aspen, CO that trains today's top young musicians who are at the beginning of their careers. Featuring three orchestras, chamber music, operas, musicals, recitals, and a contemporary ensemble, there are many opportunities I will have as a student to learn and perform in a variety of different settings. I will also have access to the artist-faculty who are all world-class musicians and top educators in their fields.
Why Should You Consider Donating?
As is the case with many top educational institutions, Aspen is unfortunately quite expensive. Between tuition, room & board, and various fees, Aspen totals about $13,345 to attend (excluding travel costs). I was fortunate to receive a scholarship from the festival, as well as some grant funding from my school, however that still leaves $6,895 for me to cover from my personal savings.
By attending Aspen, I will gain access to world-class mentorship, education, networking, and music-making. Aspen has a reputation as an elite orchestral training festival matched by few others in the world; there are Aspen alumni playing in the viola sections of every major orchestra in the US.
Any amount that you can contribute will impact my growth as a musician immensely by helping me attend Aspen this summer. If you would like to check out some of my playing, here is a link to my performance of Bowen's Concerto in C Minor at the Concerto Competition Winners' concert this past November: https://youtu.be/Gs21hn6x3rw