ASPEN, CO — Bangkok Happy Bowl and Phat Pho n Sushi are set to launch their 12th annual summer live music series in partnership with the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) from July 2 through August 23, 2027. The series features AMFS student musicians performing on the garden patios of both restaurants every Thursday through Monday from 6–8 p.m., offering guests an outdoor dining experience accompanied by live performances.
With more than fifty seats across the adjoining patios, the series combines Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese cuisine with performances by emerging classical musicians in an intimate setting. Select Saturdays may include additional guest musicians. The performers are part of AMFS's Hire a Musician program, a community initiative that places student ensembles in venues throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. Participants are selected from AMFS's summer programs and perform in rotating configurations, including solo, duo, trio, and quartet ensembles. Instrumentation primarily includes strings, with occasional woodwind performances.
Veronica Janet Lopez, Education and Community Programs Coordinator at AMFS, emphasized the program's value: "The Hire A Musician program provides our students with meaningful performance opportunities in community settings. This long-standing collaboration continues to be an important way for students to share their work outside the classroom and connect with local audiences."
Kirk Coult, owner of Bangkok Happy Bowl and Phat Pho n Sushi, noted the series' significance: "This series has become an important part of our summer programming. It brings together live music and dining in a way that supports young musicians while offering guests a unique experience in Aspen."
AMFS offers a range of intensive summer programs in orchestral, chamber, opera, and solo performance disciplines. Students study and perform alongside faculty and visiting musicians from major orchestras and institutions across the United States. In addition to orchestral training for advanced students, the program includes chamber music and private instruction for younger participants.
The live music series runs July 2 through August 23, 2027, every Thursday through Monday from 6–8 p.m. at Bangkok Happy Bowl and Phat Pho n Sushi in Aspen. For more information about Bangkok Happy Bowl, visit https://www.bangkokhappybowl.com/. For more information about Phat Pho n Sushi, visit https://www.phattphonsushi.com/.
