Donna Briggs is President/CEO of Britt Festivals. Comments or questions for Britt Festivals? Email Donna at ed@brittfest.org. Visit Britt Festivals at www.brittfest.org. 
As most of you know, on July 29 & 30, Britt celebrated the Centennial of the National Parks Service, with the world premiere performance of “Natural History,” a composition written by Michael Gordon, and inspired by the beauty and splendor of Crater Lake. Members of the Britt Orchestra, along with members […]
We are very excited about our entire 2016 Britt Orchestra season. On Opening night, Friday, August 5, Music Director Teddy Abrams opens the 2016 Britt Orchestra season with a new commission by celebrated Russian-American composer Lev Zhurbin, whom The New York Times has called, “strikingly original and soulful.” The Russian program continues with Shostakovich’s complex […]
Today, nonprofit performing arts organizations across the country find that to meet the challenges of the 21st century, we must innovate. Some of the most promising solutions are generated by those of us who are willing to work differently by working together. Partnerships enable performing arts organizations to make the most of each other’s strengths […]
In addition to the concerts that Britt presents all summer, did you know that Britt Music and Arts Festival also offers education programs twelve months out of the year? Starting in January, we bring in our first cadre of interns. Internships at Britt provide in-depth, hands-on experience in Marketing, […]
The buzz around Britt’s 2016 line-up started with rumors that turned into reality. Yes, the “supreme” Diana Ross, along with her daughter, Rhonda Ross, is performing in Jacksonville this summer. Speaking of rumors, have you ever heard the gossip that Johnny Depp owns a house in […]
For over 50 years, Britt has provided our orchestra members with host families that open their homes and hearts to music, and give our musicians who travel from all over the U.S. the true “Britt Experience.” Hosting musicians is a great way to build an intimate relationship with the […]
While all of the concerts and programs that we present are important, the Britt Orchestra holds a special place as the artistic core of our organization. The Britt board and staff are collectively committed to making sure the Britt Orchestra thrives, and we were recently able to celebrate the […]
2016 is going to be a year of exploration for Britt. Simply put, we are going to try new things. First, we will kick off the New Year with the much-anticipated Valentine’s Gala featuring China Forbes, of Pink Martini, with Music Director Teddy Abrams on Piano, […]
Does Britt Music and Arts Festival matter to the future generations of Jacksonville and the Rogue Valley? In recent years, many Britt supporters have informed me of their intention to include a designated gift to Britt in their wills. I am pleased to say that over the past […]
Earlier this spring, I attended a private in-home concert in Grants Pass. It was a weeknight and, as usual, my day was long and hurried. I even considered not going to the concert, or going and staying for only a few songs. But, in this business, we are always […]
August has been such an exciting month on the Britt hill, and we have much more to look forward to, as summer extends into September. We are fresh off of an exciting Classical Festival, and I hope you were able to join Teddy Abrams and the Britt Orchestra during their three weeks of music-making. The […]
By the time you read this News from the Hill the Britt Orchestra will have already arrived here in beautiful southern Oregon. As you can imagine, our Music Director Teddy Abrams has been working tirelessly over the past several months to make his vision a reality. The first rehearsal […]
We are happy and excited to welcome concert goers to the 53rd season of Britt’s Classical Festival. As Jacksonville Review readers know, this year’s Classical Festival reflects a shift to bolder and more diverse programming. Teddy Abrams has put together an unparalleled roster of guest musicians and an outstanding […]
This is always an exciting month at Britt, as the anticipation for the summer concert season gives way to great music on the Hill. It’s also a time of several other celebrations and special events.
First off, as you can see on the cover of the June Jacksonville Review, we […]
In thinking about this month’s article, I tried to define for myself what makes Britt so special. Over the past 5 years, I have observed that each concert has its own vibe and culture that brings people of different backgrounds, experiences, and appearances together in a safe and happy environment. Gratefully, music really is blind. […]
It is my pleasure to devote this column to introducing and welcoming Kay Hilton, Britt’s new Director of Education and Engagement. With 18 years of experience at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as the Music Coordinator, she comes to Britt with an extensive background in performing arts and education. Kay is knowledgeable and passionate about music, […]
At the February 5th Classical Festival Announcement, Music Director Teddy Abrams promised an “epic season,” and after hearing about it, we believe him! Not only is Teddy’s enthusiasm infectious, his programming is diverse, bold and inspiring. The 2015 Britt Classical Festival lineup is already generating an energetic buzz around […]
As we enter the New Year, Britt welcomes Jacksonville’s three newest City Council members: Ken Gregg, Brad Bennington and Jim Lewis. As volunteers, the City Council works tirelessly with the city’s administrative staff and citizens to provide a framework for the ongoing operations of the City. As I have participated in many proceedings over the […]
It has been a very busy year for Britt, and perhaps that’s why we feel 2014 flew by so quickly. We’ve reached new goals and met new challenges while experiencing another successful season. And we know none of that would be possible without our amazing community support and why we owe you, our […]
As we enter the 2014 Holiday Season, the words that come to mind are “thank you for an amazing year.” We embarked on transformative changes to the Britt Hill, hosted a powerful and innovative Classical Festival season, and gained many new community partners.
We simply could not have done any of this without the community of […]
I am dedicating this entire column to the Britt Society, the unsung heroes of Britt Festivals. Did you know that the Britt Society is a separate non-profit 501c3 organization with their own Board of Directors and membership made up of 300 fantastic and active people? Established in 1964, its […]
As I write this, we have just completed the final weekend of the 2014 Classical Festival. Wow! I do believe Teddy saved the best for last. On closing night, Mahler’s piece was simply breathtaking. I mean that literally; I had to remind myself to breath as I sat mesmerized by the powerfully-moving music.
What a whirlwind […]
My hope is that 2014 will be remembered as the year of accessibility: accessible music, accessible venue and accessible Music Director.
Who’s afraid of classical music? Lots of people, apparently. Well, I am here to tell you that classical music is not just for the well-seasoned listener; it’s for everyone! […]
The combined projects of the City of Jacksonville’s First Street sidewalk project, the Booster Club’s lighting project and the Britt Festival’s Performance Garden project resulted in over $2 million dollars of improvements to the community. These dollars were invested in Jacksonville because collectively, we believe in the future of our […]
Congratulations to blues singer Cee Cee James, winner of the 2014 Rising Stars competition.
Make plans now for one of the most entertaining and tasty events of the summer! Our “Best of Britt” benefit on Thursday, June 26, is an evening filled with all the best parts of Britt—great music, great food and great wine!
Our 2014 Classical Festival announcement in January was an exciting one, as our new Music Director Teddy Abrams announced the full lineup of programs and guest artists for the concerts this August. This season is full of great music, exciting soloists, and fun events...