Beethoven’s Ode to Joy is based on a simple musical theme, yet it has magic beyond words! It not only grabs the heart, but its message represents everything humanity should stand and fight for!
Did you feel the joy? There was so much to […]
MEDFORD, OR — The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) is excited to announce two new changes as it prepares for the 60th anniversary of the Britt Music & Arts Festival in 2022. Britt announces that a new General Manager of the BFO has been hired. And, the BFO is moving its storied and popular orchestral music […]
Musical America announced today that Teddy Abrams—the galvanizing conductor now in his eighth season as Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra—has been named Conductor of the Year for 2022. Louisville Mayor Greg Fisher congratulated […]
Despite pandemic and wildfires, the 2021 Britt Season comes to a successful close.
MEDFORD, OR — Overcoming multiple challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and several weeks of wildfire smoke in the region, the Britt Music & Arts Festival has completed an outstanding season filled with amazing music and artists. Britt thanks its patrons, members, business […]
We did it! Against all odds—COVID-19, smoke, fires, lower revenue, and staff shortages; Britt’s community came together and prevailed. From my perspective, the biggest payoff was seeing the joy of the performers getting back on stage and the audiences being there to experience it. To […]
MEDFORD, OR — The Britt Music and Arts Festival’s Board of Directors is announcing the planned retirement of Donna Briggs, President and CEO of Britt Music and Arts Festival, effective December 31, 2021. Briggs informed the Board leadership of her intentions to retire earlier this year.
Former Board Chair, Mike Burrill Jr., stated that “Briggs started […]
It’s been an incredible summer so far with two amazing Britt Festival Orchestra experiences—the world premiere of Brush: Music in the Woodlands and Ellen Reid SOUNDWALK. We’ve also “Come Together” for seven concerts in our Britt Presents series so far. It’s hard to believe kids are already back in […]
Nothing beats the adrenaline and the exhilaration of sitting on our beautiful hill, enjoying an amazing live performance. Or the rush of discovery that comes with witnessing the birth of a newcomer who you know will become a massive star—like Brandi Carlile before she made it big. Spanning eras […]
JULY, 14, 2021, MEDFORD, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival invites everyone to “Come Together” for more concerts during the 2021 Britt Presents season, offering more musical variety and a comedy act. This is the final announcement for the 2021 Britt Presents season, bringing the total number of concerts to 17. The announcement introduces […]
By the time this issue of the Jacksonville Review hits the stands, the state of Oregon will have reached the 70% vaccine benchmark. This is great news for our state’s economy and cultural wellbeing. It’s time to celebrate!
This year, our philosophy has been to focus on ways the BFO […]
June 25, 2021 – The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO), under the leadership of the festival’s Music Director, Teddy Abrams, is announcing three unique musical experiences for its 2021 season.
It begins with a virtual installation art piece titled Ellen Reid SOUNDWALK that will be accessible through a smartphone app from July 1 through October 15. Then, […]
The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) will present the world premiere of an experiential new work by the multi-faceted, Pulitzer Prize-winning musician and composer, Caroline Shaw. Under the leadership of the festival’s Music Director, Teddy Abrams, the BFO will perform this special project on the Jacksonville Woodlands Trail system in six free performances from July 30 […]
MEDFORD, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival is excited to announce its first set of concerts for the 2021 Britt Presents season. In the first of two announcements, Britt invites music lovers to “Come Together” and enjoy a wide variety of musical […]
MEDFORD, OR — ATTENTION: Do not purchase your Britt Music & Arts Festival tickets anywhere except at brittfest.org. Britt is seeing more ticket scams than ever this year. Don’t get scammed.
Only go to: https://brittfest.org/performances
Many ticket resellers such as StubHub, Seat Geeks, and Tickets-Center offer Britt tickets at inflated prices. Purchase your […]
As you can imagine, everywhere Britt’s staff and Board leadership go, our friends and neighbors want to know what our plans are for 2021. The most urgent question is always the same: “Are we going to have a season?” We wish the answer was a simple “yes” or “no.” […]
It’s been a while since I have shared the story of how Britt began. In case you’re not familiar with the history of the Peter Britt Gardens Music & Arts Festival, it all started with a dream in the summer of 1962.
Two friends—Sam McKinney and John Trudeau—had a dream […]
When our state shut down in late March of last year, all in-person Residency classroom visits, BrittKids Koncerts, and Britt Festival Orchestra Fellowships were cancelled. To try to replace these live programs, we created several video series: BrittVids, BrittKids Koncert Video Series, Britt Bridge Series, and Scout’s Sing-a-long Songs. […]
Performing arts venues are still shuttered with no earned income and fixed overhead. Over the fall of last year, ninety percent of venues reported they could be forced to close forever without meaningful federal relief; hundreds have already permanently shuttered, never to return.
Since April 2020, Britt Music and Arts […]
The Britt Festival Orchestra joins the southern Oregon community in mourning the loss of one of our dearest friends, Hannelore Enfield, who passed away the morning of December 7,2020.
An orchestra is a family, and the strength of that family depends on people believing in the power and beauty of that institution. Hannelore was as much […]
This year the COVID-19 pandemic systematically shut down the entire live music economy and ecosystem. Live music venues were the first to close and will be the last to reopen. Iconic assembly spaces like Britt Music and Arts Festival now face an unknown future. This summer the I-5 […]
When I was in fourth grade, I performed in my first musical theater production on a real stage in front of real people. All fourth, fifth and sixth-grade students at Jacksonville Elementary participate in the school play each year. I was in the ensemble, a monkey, in The Lion […]
Without question, Covid-19 has posed new and previously unimaginable challenges for Britt Music and Arts Festival. However, within every challenge is perhaps an even greater opportunity. We are inspired by how the community of Jacksonville has adapted and moved forward. This global pandemic has made it difficult for many […]
The unimaginable has happened. Rogue Valley communities have burned beyond recognition. Lives have been lost. Families have lost their homes. Business owners have lost their livelihoods. Gratefully, Jacksonville was spared for now. Oregonians take great pride in the many outdoor treasures our state has to offer and we must […]
The Britt Festival Orchestra is online for those wishing to revisit some of their favorite performances from past summers with Music Director Teddy Abrams. BFOnline features five recordings, preceded by a discussion about the recorded work with Teddy, members of the BFO, and select guest artists and composers. Each recording will be accompanied by a […]
MEDFORD, OR – Britt announces that the popular Happy Together Tour and Best of Britt benefit, an annual summer fundraising event benefiting Britt Education & Engagement, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, July 13, 2021.
In its eighth year, the Best of Britt is a popular Britt extravaganza featuring a fun-filled evening of food, spirits and music […]
Our valley is yearning for art and culture in this moment of great uncertainty. For Britt to make music this summer for our audiences—in whatever configuration is safe and feasible—will be a joy for our staff and wonderful musicians. We hope our virtual programming will inspire you through the […]
One could say, I’ve been working on this message for nearly thirteen years. So, thank you Donna Briggs for allowing me to take over your column this month. Makes me happy!
Many of you don’t know me, but certainly many of you do. I’m Britt’s Director of House Operations, Bow Seltzer, and I’m retiring in a […]
One positive aspect to the current situation is seeing the passion and creativity of our entire community as we rise to meet unimaginable challenges, and watching all of us come together even as we maintain our social distance. Over the past months, you have reinforced something that this community […]
MEDFORD, OR – Like so many performing arts organizations and businesses, Britt is now faced with the challenge of carving our path in an uncertain world. Today, Governor Brown issued a mandate canceling all large gatherings, including concerts or large sporting events, through at least September 2020. Due to this mandate, and out of an […]
2020 Britt Festival Orchestra Season Update in Light of Ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic
After careful consideration, Britt Music & Arts Festival’s Board of Directors, staff, and musicians of the Britt Orchestra Committee have agreed the 2020 BFO Season cannot proceed as we had planned. All previously scheduled performances between July 31 – August 16, 2020 have been […]
MEDFORD, OR – Due to frequently changing circumstances created by the spread of COVID-19, Britt Music & Arts Festival has postponed its third and final 2020 Britt Presents Season Announcement until further notice. The announcement had previously been rescheduled for Friday, May 8, 2020. Over the coming weeks, Britt will monitor local, state, and federal […]
April 3, 2020—MEDFORD, OR – Due to quickly changing circumstances surrounding the spread of COVID-19 and resulting artist schedule changes, Britt Music & Arts Festival has decided to postpone its third 2020 Britt Presents Announcement, originally scheduled for April 9, 2020, to be held on May 8, 2020. As previously announced, the Annual Season Announcement […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — In the second season announcement for 2020, Britt Presents is adding a variety of popular music artists and a comedian to the summer series line-up with several favorite returning artists. Britt Presents is excited to bring comedy back to the Britt Pavilion with Blue Collar Comedy Tour favorite, Ron White, on June […]
MEDFORD, OR – Britt announces the return of the popular Happy Together Tour, who will perform after Best of Britt, an annual summer fundraising event benefiting Britt Education & Engagement, happening Thursday, July 9, 2020.
In its eighth year, the Best of Britt is a popular Britt extravaganza featuring a fun-filled evening of food, spirits and […]
Years ago, I wrote a column addressing our booking process. With so many new people in our community, we continue to hear questions about how we book our season or “Why can’t Britt book this artist or that artist?” It seems appropriate to reprise the earlier column.
Logically, since Britt […]
MEDFORD, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival announces its first set of concerts for the 2020 Britt Presents season this summer. In the first of three announcements, Britt presents a variety of musical artists including the classic country of Tanya Tucker, who was awarded two GRAMMYs this past January, modern bluegrass inspired acoustic jam […]
Years ago when Britt was looking for a new Music Director for the orchestra, Teddy Abrams stood out with his hunger for creativity. As a young prodigy at the beginning of his career, we knew his creativity would bring something unique to the Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO). After six […]
The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) announces its 2020 summer season, anchoring Oregon’s Britt Music and Arts Festival with three weeks of exciting open-air programming in the scenic Rogue Valley. Under the inventive […]
MEDFORD, OR – Britt Music & Arts Festival announces the redesign and significant upgrade of their website that will improve the ability of Britt patrons and fans to purchase tickets and learn about various operations of the non-profit organization. Constructed by web design firm Project A, the new design is constructed on a modern WordPress […]
Britt Education and Engagement is Joining the Global GivingTuesday Movement to raise $5,000 for education programs that benefit children and schools throughout Jackson & Josephine Counties
Medford, Oregon – This GivingTuesday, Britt Education & Engagement will celebrate giving by raising $5,000 for our free music education programs.
GivingTuesday, taking place December 3rd, is a global day of […]
Many moons ago, I was interviewed for the Executive Director position by a panel of nine Britt Music and Arts Festival Board members. The interview lasted 1.5 hours and covered many different areas of the professional expertise needed for the job. Given my extensive background in non-profit management, I […]
MEDFORD, OR — The Britt Music & Arts Festival has finished an outstanding season filled with wonderful weather and lots of big artists, and is thanking its patrons, members, business partners, media partners, artists and fans for a successful season. Ticket sales started slightly slow before the season began, but caught up and surpassed 2018 […]
I am dedicating this entire column to one man.
Dear Bow, this letter is one way of letting you know how much the Board, staff and most importantly, Britt Society Volunteers appreciate you.
Your tireless commitment as Britt’s House Manager over the past twelve years has been nothing short of extraordinary. […]
My two young grandchildren joined me in July for the Britt Festival Orchestra’s presentations of “Peter and the Wolf” (retold with a delightful Southern Oregon twist) and the story of the “The Mountain that Loved a Bird” by composer Caroline Shaw. They were enthralled, including the […]
A few years ago, I learned a fancy word: ineffable. It is defined as “too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words,” as in the ineffable natural beauty of Crater Lake. Speechless is another way to say it. I have experienced this ineffability at the Britt Festival Orchestra concerts more than I can count. It […]
BFO August 4 Concert will be On the Hill at the Britt Pavilion
08/03/19 MEDFORD, OR — Based on weather/smoke forecasts and the improved AQI numbers in Jacksonville, the Britt Festival Orchestra performance scheduled for Sunday, August 4 will be held on the hill at the Britt Pavilion in Jacksonville. All regularly […]
Britt Music & Arts Festival has opened a Call to Artists for the 2020 Fine Arts Poster. Britt is also considering artists for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Call to Artists will be open until July 31st, 2019, and will be juried by […]
Back in early July, I spent a Saturday afternoon enjoying a wonderful reception and book signing at Art Presence Art Center. As I stood in line to purchase three of Debbie Earley’s creative little glass mushrooms, I flipped through Ken Gregg’s beautiful new book, A […]
MEDFORD, OR – The Britt Festival Orchestra performance scheduled for 8:00 PM this evening, July 26, 2019, will be presented as scheduled. The decision to perform outdoors at the Britt Pavilion was made this morning per Britt’s protocol by an ad-hoc committee consisting of the Britt President and CEO, Artistic Operations Director, Britt […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR – The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO), led by Maestro Teddy Abrams, returns to southern Oregon for its 57th season with three weeks of exhilarating orchestral programs at the Britt Pavilion in Jacksonville. The annual BFO season begins with a new series for families and people of all musical interests entitled Teddy’s Discovery Tuesdays (TDT), which offer […]