Britt’s 50th Classical Season Announced

Westwater's Photography with Symphony

Britt Festival Music Director and Conductor Peter Bay announces the 50^th annual Classical Festival, coming to the Britt hill in Jacksonville for three weeks next summer. In recognition of Britt’s milestone 50^th season, the three-week festival will include several celebrations of Britt’s history. The season also bids a fond farewell to Music Director and Conductor Peter Bay in his 20^th and final season. Bay announced his departure last summer.

Conductor Peter Bay. Photo by Josh Morell

The Britt Orchestra first performed in 1963, under the direction of founding conductor John Trudeau. The Festival came together through the grassroots efforts of an entire community. Fifty seasons later, the 2012 Classical Festival orchestra is a high-caliber ensemble that draws 90 musicians from top orchestras across the country. Orchestra members are housed in host families’ homes throughout the valley, in the generous spirit of community.

Britt’s Director of Performing Arts Angela Warren says, “Our 50^th season is exciting for Britt, and we plan to celebrate all summer long! The Britt story began with classical music in 1963 and we’ve planned an unforgettable season of music, memories and magic.”

Anton Nel

The middle weekend of the festival features beloved pianist André Watts in Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 on August 10. That program will also spotlight four Britt Orchestra soloists on Haydn’s Sinfonia concertante. On August 11, National Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Nurit Bar-Josef will solo with the orchestra in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. On August 12, the Calder Quartet, the new faculty-in-residence for Britt’s String Quartet Academy, will perform a recital at the SOU Recital Hall in Ashland.

Calder Quartet

Closing weekend begins on August 17 with a concert celebrating Britt’s history. The concert, entitled “Music, Memories, Magic” includes a new work of “photochoreography” by James Westwater. This 50^th season commission will feature historical and modern photos that tell the story of Britt, displayed on three large screens above the orchestra and choreographed to Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land Suite. On August 18, the Britt Orchestra will perform a concert of “Symphony Pops,” featuring music of stage, screen and ballet. In thanks to the community that supports Britt, all tickets for this concert are just $5. August 19 marks Maestro Bay’s Farewell Concert. He has chosen a program that replicates the first concert he conducted at Britt in 1992. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein will be featured on Dvorák’s Cello Concerto, and the 2012 Britt Festival will end with Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances.

Sara Daneshpour

Full program and guest artist information is available at brittfest.org

Classical Festival tickets can be purchased in a special presale, beginning January 27 at 9 a.m. and continuing through March 15. In honor of the 50^th season, tickets will be available to both members and non-members during this presale. In addition to tickets for single concerts, the popular Classical Lawn Passport, a flexible package of three lawn tickets, is available. Call the box office at 1-800-882-7488 or 773-6077 or visit www.brittfest.org.

Britt’s full 2012 season schedule will be announced April 4.

Britt Festivals invites audiences and artists to celebrate the joy of live performance, the power of community, and the magic of the Britt Experience. Through on-going education and audience development programs, Britt educates new generations of listeners, helping them discover the wonder of music and performance. In addition to presenting concerts, Britt Festivals maintains a formal education program through the Britt Institute. Established in 1985, the Britt Institute hosts a wide variety of learning opportunities through a multi-faceted approach of summer camps, workshops, grade school programs, lectures and adult learning opportunities.

2012 BRITT CLASSICAL FESTIVAL – 50^th Anniversary Season:

AUGUST 3                Gala 50th Opening

Sarah Chang, violin
STRAVINSKY          Greeting Prelude
BERLIOZ                  Roman Carnival
BRUCH                      Violin Concerto No. 1
PROKOFIEV             Symphony No. 5

AUGUST 4                Anton Nel, piano
DAVID ANDERSON   Celebration (world premiere, 50^th anniversary commission)
SCHUMANN                  Piano Concerto
FRANCK                        Symphony in d minor

AUGUST 10 André Watts, piano
MARTINŮ                 Sinfonietta La Jolla
HAYDN                     Sinfonia concertante
Joseph Salvalaggio, oboe
Erich Heckscher, bassoon
Igance Jang, violin
Naomi Barron, cello
BRAHMS                   Piano Concerto No. 2

AUGUST 11              Nurit Bar-Josef, violin
COPLAND                 Happy Anniversary
NIELSEN                   Helios Overture
MENDELSSOHN      Violin Concerto
ELGAR                      Enigma Variations

AUGUST 12              The Calder Quartet in Recital
MOZART                   Quartet in C Major, “Dissonance”
THOMAS ADÈS       Arcadiana
ANDREW NORMAN  …toward sunrise and the prime of light…
MENDELSSOHN      Quartet No. 6, Op. 80

AUGUST 17              Music, Memories, Magic
Sara Daneshpour, piano
James Westwater, photochoreography
TBA                            “People’s Choice” (piece voted on at Jan. 26 event)
SAINT-SAËNS          Piano Concerto No. 2
COPLAND                 The Tender Land Suite
(Photochoreography – 50^th anniversary commission)
RESPIGHI                 The Pines of Rome
(special participation by Britt Orchestra alumni)

AUGUST 18                          Music Sets the Stage
Wes Schulz, guest conductor
BERNSTEIN/arr. Peress Overture to West Side Story
PROKOFIEV             Selections from Romeo & Juliet
JOHN WILLIAMS    Three Pieces from Schindler’s List
SAINT-SAËNS          Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah
J. STRAUSS, JR         Overture to The Gypsy Baron
SUPPÉ                        Overture to Light Calvary
JOHN WILLIAMS    Flight to Neverland from Hook
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN/arr. Bennett   South Pacific (Symphonic Scenario)

AUGUST 19                          Farewell Concert
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
DVOŘÁK                  Cello Concerto
RACHMANINOFF   Symphonic Dances