2017 Britt Orchestra season includes major guest artists, large orchestral works and a newly commissioned piece.
Britt’s Music Director and Conductor Teddy Abrams announces the 2017 Britt Orchestra season. The season begins early, featuring a world premiere commission by Kenji Bunch on opening night, July 28. The season continues with three weeks of concerts on the Britt hill in Jacksonville, Oregon, with highlights including guest violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major, the critically acclaimed cellist Joshua Roman performing Mason Bates’ Cello Concerto, an evening of song with Richard Cox and Tamara Mumford performing Gustav Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, and world-renowned pianist and conductor Jeffrey Kahane will be soloist for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major.
Each of the seven orchestra nights follows a theme programmed by Music Director Teddy Abrams. Opening night offers a West Coast Composers Celebration, including works from several living composers including Mason Bates and Andrew Norman. Saturday, July 29 is a Voyage of Discovery with music of Brahms and Sibelius. Symphonic Exploration is the theme for Friday, August 4, with a broad showcase of music from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods. Saturday, August 5, the theme has an Eastern Inspiration, featuring Shanghai Overture by Bright Sheng and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth), along with Stravinsky’s Le chant du rossignol (The Song of the Nightingale).
Sunday, August 6 is Pops night: The Magic of the Movies. Ticket prices for this evening are reduced for all seating. This will be an evening of exciting movie music written by John Williams, and will be great fun for the whole family. Wrapping up with the third Britt Orchestra Season weekend, Expeditions of Reflection is the theme for Friday, August 12, featuring Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 in B Minor and Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind by Teddy Abrams’ mentor Michael Tilson Thomas. Closing night, Saturday, August 13 will present the Britt Orchestra Showcase, with pieces by Gershwin and Prokofiev and a composition written by Music Director Teddy Abrams: Unified Field.
The 2017 season also includes a series of free BrittKids Koncerts in Britt’s Performance Garden. Several engaging and interactive mid-morning concerts will be offered. The concerts will be created by Gabriel Globus-Hoenich and Jenifer of JenUwin Playtime, who return after leading popular Britt children’s concerts in 2015 and 2016. More information on this series will be announced later this spring.
Who: The Britt Orchestra
When: July 28 – August 13, 2017
Where: Britt Pavilion, 350 First St., Jacksonville
Tickets: $49 for reserved seating, $25 for lawn seating (Lower Price this year!) and $10 for children.
Pops Night special pricing: $15 for reserved seating, $5 for lawn seating and $5 for children.
Members Pre-sale: Online only at www.brittfest.org from Monday, February 13, through Sunday, May 7 to purchase Reserved seating by order form.
General Public Sales: Online only at www.brittfest.org on or after Monday, February 13, for lawn seating. Reserved seating will be available on Friday, May 12 at 9:00 a.m. for all seating.
The full Britt 2017 concert season will be announced April 6th. Information on programs, membership and more is available at brittfest.org.
Full program and guest artist information for all Britt Orchestra concerts is available at brittfest.org.
The Britt Orchestra first performed in 1963. More than fifty years later, the 2017 Britt Orchestra is a high-caliber ensemble that draws 90 musicians from top orchestras across the country.
The concert schedule for the 2017 Britt Orchestra season is:
Friday, July 28
Opening Night Gala Dinner – 5 p.m. / Concert 8 p.m.
West Coast Composer Celebration
John Adams: The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra
Andrew Norman: Unstuck
Mason Bates: Cello Concerto
Joshua Roman, cello
Darius Milhaud: La creation du monde (The Creation of the World)
Henry Cowell: Ballad
Kenji Bunch: World premiere commission – TBD
John Williams: Adventures on Earth from E.T.
Saturday, July 29 – 8 p.m.
Voyage of Discovery
Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major
Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major
Friday, August 4 – 8 p.m.
Symphonic Exploration
Franz Schubert: Allegro moderato from Symphony No. 8 in B minor
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major
Jeffrey Kahane, piano
Claudio Monteverdi: Toccata from L’Orfeo
Salamone Rossi (orch. By Mark Knippel): Sinfonia Grave à 5
Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
William Byrd (orch. By Mark Knippel): In Nomine à 5
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 35 in D Major (Haffner)
Saturday, August 5 – 8 p.m.
Eastern Inspiration
Bright Sheng: Shanghai Overture
Igor Stravinsky: Le chant du rossignol (The Song of the Nightingale)
Gustav Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth)
Tamara Mumford, mezzo-soprano
Richard Cox, tenor
Sunday, August 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Magic of the Movies (Pops goes John Williams)
A program of movie music featuring John Williams’ best film scores (specific program TBD)
Friday, August 12 – 8 p.m.
Expeditions of Reflection
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B minor (Pathétique)
Michael Tilson Thomas: Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind
Measha Brueggergosman, soprano
Saturday, August 13 – 8 p.m.
Britt Orchestra Spectacular
Bright Sheng: Shanghai Overture
Igor Stravinsky: Le chant du rossignol (The Song of the Nightingale)
Gustav Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth)
Britt Music & Arts Festival’s full 2016 season will be announced April 6.
New This Year! Print Your Tickets at Home or Use Your Phone!
You are now able to print your tickets at home or bring them on your smart phone when purchased through Britt’s new online ticket system. No more visits to the Britt offices, waiting for the mail or waiting in line at Will Call. Print your tickets at home or and show them at the gate – just one more way that we’re making your Britt Experience even better!
Inspired by its intimate and scenic hillside venue, Britt Music & Arts Festival provides diverse live performances, an incomparable classical festival and dynamic education programs that create a sense of discovery and community. Since its grassroots beginnings in 1963, the non-profit organization has grown from a two-week chamber music festival to a summer-long series of concerts in a variety of genres, including a three-week orchestra season, and year-round education and engagement programs. For more information, visit www.brittfest.org.