The Hermitage Artist Retreat and the Aspen Music Festival and School (Aspen, Colorado) are pleased to announce Jaylin Vinson, a composition student at AMFS, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Hermitage Prize in Composition. Vinson is the thirteenth recipient of this annual award, which includes a residency at the Hermitage. This year, the Hermitage is pleased to announce a new $10,000 valuation for the prize, which includes a $5,000 commission paid directly to the winner, in addition to supporting expenses related to the winner’s Fellowship and public program at the Hermitage. With this commission, Vinson will create an original composition that will be developed at the Hermitage prior to having its full premiere in Aspen in 2027 with the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (ACE). This commission is made possible with generous support from Marsha & David Dowler, Rebecca Donelson & Robert Blattberg, and Friends of the Hermitage in Aspen. Learn more at HermitageArtistRetreat.org