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 […]
What you might be missing…
Oh my, it’s July! The epicenter of summer and picnic weather. We kick-off July 1st and 2nd with blockbusters, Kris Kristofferson and Michael Franti. And who doesn’t know the masterful work of Dwight Yoakam, the iconic band […]
Using the recent words of our new Facilities Operation Manager, Andrew Mustain, “It was Rob Buerk’s generosity and leadership that we owe gratitude to for overseeing the removal of the old picnic tables and installation of the new picnic tables. The Britt Experience has always been […]
MEDFORD, OR — Britt’s 2019 full season line-up goes on sale to the general public starting at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 10. At this writing, tickets are still available for all concerts in the 2019 lineup, with Chicago reserved seating full and limited seating remaining on several other shows. In addition, the “Best of Britt” event […]
Whether you were a teenager in the 1960s, or born in 2001, Britt is the place to be this summer. Diverse, varied, and assorted, were all words used to describe the 2019 Britt Line-up at our April 11th Season Announcement Party, where our Britt family […]
MEDFORD, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival has been notified that due to unforeseen circumstances the Alanis Morissette concert scheduled for Sunday, June 23, 2019 has been canceled.
Due to this change, Britt Members and Business Partners who have submitted ticket orders for this concert will be contacted to inform them of […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival has announced the remaining concert schedule for 2019 at its annual Music & Comedy Season Announcement Party on Thursday, April 11, unveiling 16 more concerts for the summer festival, with wide variety and big names. Highlights of the announcement include 90’s pop icon Alanis Morissette […]
The Britt season goes on and on thanks to the 90 volunteers who show up on the Hill night after night. These volunteers are all members of the Britt Society, a separate non-profit organization with their own Board of Directors and 300 fantastic and active members. Recently two such […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — With its second season announcement for 2019, Britt Music & Arts Festival is adding a variety of popular music artists to the summer Music & Comedy line-up with several returning artists and a couple of new bands for the Britt audiences. The first concert from this set of concerts features Jim James, […]
Think classical music is old, stale or boring? Been there done that? Or never wanted to? Well come and see how exhilarating, relevant and FUN orchestral music can be for adults and children alike. The entire season beginning July 23 will highlight music inspired by our natural environment and […]
Why did Britt change the announcement schedule and membership benefits? “For the times, they are a changin’.” ~Bob Dylan
As the year 2019 begins, it might help some people to be reminded about changes made in our announcement schedule last season—one that we plan to continue this year. In 2018, […]
MEDFORD, OR – Britt Music and Arts Festival is launching a new name and brand for its orchestra, the cornerstone of Britt’s summer seasons since 1963. The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) is now the official title of this unique ensemble, and with this new name comes an updated look and feel for the orchestra’s brand […]
With the holidays upon us, it seems appropriate to reflect back on the past year and share our list of many wonderful things that the Britt Music and Arts Festival board and staff are grateful for this season.
At a recent meeting with community members, a group that we […]
Ever since the smoke rolled in on July 16, 2018, your Britt team has been busy making plans on how we will deal with the new “norm” during the 2019 Orchestra Season and beyond.
Thanks to the strong partnership between Medford Public School District and […]
Unless you were there, you probably didn’t know about the Pub Crawl.
After the third rehearsal was smoked out, Teddy decided to hold meetings with musicians who wished to brainstorm alternative performance opportunities. It had become clear that we were unlikely to be able to rehearse anymore at the Hill, […]
MEDFORD, OR — The Britt Music & Arts Festival thanks everyone – our patrons, members, business partners, media partners, artists and fans – for an outstanding season. Despite another smoky wildfire season, the 2018 Britt Season was very popular with patrons, demonstrated by steady ticket sales and abundant support from the community. During the last […]