The Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) recently announced the launch of the Finckel-Wu Han Chamber Music Studio for the summer of 2013.

Renowned cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, both AMFS faculty, will draw from their own Aspen studios to form ensembles that they will mentor throughout the summer for a public performance at the festival’s Harris Concert Hall.

Students entering the four-week Finckel-Wu Han Chamber Music Studio will be selected pre-season based on both their skill on their instruments and previous experience with chamber music. The ensembles, possibly ranging from duos to quintets, will be coached three to four times a week. Collaborating students will be selected from the studios of other AMFS artist-faculty, including that of Sylvia Rosenberg, who will celebrate her 13th summer in Aspen in 2013 and also teaches at The Juilliard School.

Finckel and Wu Han have served as artistic directors of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 2004 and were recently named artistic directors of Chamber Music Today, a festival to be held annually in Korea. Finckel and Wu Han also are the founders and artistic directors of Music@Menlo, a chamber music festival and institute in Silicon Valley that has garnered international recognition, now celebrating its 10th anniversary season. Last season, under the auspices of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Finckel and Wu Han established chamber music training workshops for young artists in Korea and Taiwan, intensive residency programs designed to bring student musicians into contact with an elite artist-faculty.

As part The St. Regis Aspen’s “12 Days of Christmas” series which begins Dec. 14, the hotel will host four Teddy Bear Teas to benefit the Shining Stars Foundation. Guests are asked to bring a new toy or teddy bear for donation to the foundation. The afternoon also includes live holiday music from a local pianist and a visit from Santa Claus. Teddy Bear Teas will be held Dec. 15, 16, 22 and 23, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

During the “12 Days of Christmas,” each afternoon The St. Regis Aspen Resort will host a different event, open to guests and the public. The celebratory happenings include storytelling and holiday ornament decorating; s’mores around the fire; gingerbread house designing and decorating; and a reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ by Santa Claus wrapping up the festivities on Dec. 24. After the reading, Santa will be available for holiday photographs.

For more information, call 920-3300 or log onto www.stregisaspen.com [1].