Can you imagine a world without art and music? Who would want to? You probably have seen children dancing and bouncing to music or seen toddlers banging on pots and pans. Because children are natural musicians, this musical interest comes easily and can be cultivated. Who will be our […]
Anyone who has been to the Britt Music and Arts Festival knows that it offers an experience like no other. Throughout the region there are different outdoor music venues for both the young and old to attend, which seems to suggest something. Going to outdoor music venues gives us […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR – Britt unveiled its 2018 Fine Arts Poster on Tuesday, May 15 at Jacksonville Elementary School in Jacksonville. This year’s work is a beautiful quilt by Jacksonville textile artist Karen Hanken. The poster is the 34th in a series celebrating Britt through the visual arts. The piece, titled “Britt ScRhapsody”, features a mosaic […]
Britt Music & Arts Festival and the Rogue Gallery & Art Center present Britt Orchestra Music Director and Conductor Teddy Abrams in a free piano performance during the monthly Third Friday art walk in downtown Medford at 6:30 p.m. on May 18. Teddy will perform an hour-long recital of music from his repertoire. The general […]
In early 2016, we sent out a survey to 2,600 constituents asking for extensive input from our community. First, we determined how often the respondent attends concerts and for how many years they have been attending. By determining previous involvement, we were able to gauge their familiarity with our […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival has announced the remaining concert schedule for 2018, doubling the number of shows that have previously been announced while bringing big variety and big names. Britt is excited to announce concerts with 80’s sensation Boy George & Culture Club (Sept. 11), rising alt-pop stars Portugal. The Man, […]
Britt Music & Arts Festival announces that “Symphony for Nature,” the documentary film that tells the story about the Britt Orchestra’s performance at Crater Lake in 2016, has been selected to be screened as part of the 2018 Ashland Independent Film Festival. This will be the film festival premiere of the film, which is being […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — With its second season announcement for 2018, Britt Music & Arts Festival is adding a variety of popular music artists to the summer line-up. Britt fan favorite Michael Franti & Spearhead returns Saturday, June 16 for the 13th year in a row with both an afternoon family matinee as well as their […]
One question has come up recently that I would like to address. Many patrons are asking, “Is Britt going to announce the 2018 season in thirds?” Logically, since Britt is now announcing the 2018 Season in February, March and April, patrons might assume that it makes sense to break […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival announces its first group of concerts in 2018 season lineup, coming to the outdoor amphitheater on the Britt hill in scenic Jacksonville, Oregon this summer. The first of three scheduled season announcements presents a wide variety of musical artists, including the funk-rock of Primus, a capella choruses […]
The 3rd Annual Valentine Day Gala benefiting the Britt Orchestra is coming home to Jacksonville! We have moved this popular event to the Bigham Knoll Ballroom.
The 2018 Valentine Gala will offer an intimate dinner with jazzy entertainment by vocalist Britney Simpson, Teddy Abrams on piano, and members of the […]
The Britt Music & Arts Festival and Cantaloupe Music announce the digital release of Michael Gordon’s orchestral work “Natural History” for orchestra with 10 Klamath tribal drummers, a chorus, brass […]
MEDFORD, OR, Jan. 22, 2018 — Britt Music & Arts Festival’s Education & Engagement department has announced it is now accepting concert program submissions for its BrittKids Koncert series. Now in its 3rd year, this free family-friendly series has expanded to present additional […]
For the past 55 years, Britt Music and Arts Festival has been providing our community with world-class music in our beautiful outdoor venue. In 2014, we brought you the new Performance Garden and ADA accessible pathways. In 2017, we introduced new concessions featuring local eateries, providing you with […]
I think we can all agree that Britt is a part of Jacksonville and Jacksonville is a part of Britt. Moreover, because of Britt Music and Arts Festival, our Jacksonville community is bigger than we think! Meaning that support for this community reaches far beyond our city limits. Did […]
We’d like to share our excitement about critical improvements being made on the Britt hill. With the close of another fantastic season, Britt is transitioning into what is sure to be a busy “off” season. Beginning this month, our old grey Britt bench seats will become just a memory. […]
I had not planned on writing about a power outage for the September column. Mother Nature had different plans. When you think about it, we were due. Britt concerts have lucked out for 55 years. With that statistic, we had already beaten the law of averages. We should be […]
By the time you read this News from the Hill, the Britt Orchestra will have arrived here in beautiful southern Oregon. Thanks to over 90 host families, our orchestra members are already settled into their temporary homes for the Season. Teddy Abrams, Britt’s Music Director, and Mark Knippel, Director […]
News From Britt Hill – July 2017
If you haven’t heard yet, thanks to Southern Oregon Subaru, we are expanding our free children’s concert series and introducing our new mascot, Scout. Scout says ALL KIDS of ALL AGES are invited and no tickets are needed! All performances start at 10:00am in the Britt Performance Garden—just show […]
The time has come. As you might know, the existing benches on Britt Hill provide seating for 662 and were installed in 1987. Today, they are in a state of severe deterioration due to weather and time, including eleven benches that had to be repaired and held together with […]
“Eclectic” is the word that I used to describe the 2017 Britt Line-up at our April 6th Season Announcement party, where we had a record-breaking crowd of over 250 upper-level members, Business Partners, and press come together to celebrate the launch of another spectacular Britt season. We revealed many […]
It is always tough for me to decide what to write about in Britt’s April column. You see, the problem is that I know about all of these great performers that are coming to Britt, but I am sworn to secrecy due to the timing of our April season announcement and the Jacksonville Reviews’ publishing […]
At your Britt Orchestra’s February 11th Valentine Gala, Music Director Teddy Abrams revealed the 2017 Season to an enthusiastic crowd of over 200 music lovers. Since beginning his tenure as Britt’s Music Director in 2013, Teddy’s programs have both delighted and challenged our audiences through a skillful blend of […]
As we enter the New Year, Britt would like to welcome Jacksonville’s newest City Council member, Steve Casaleggio. Based on our experience, the Council exhibits a strong commitment to working with citizens toward the shared vision of providing the best possible community for residents and visitors alike. They understand […]
MEDFORD, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival is excited to be the recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which will be used to produce and perform a wheelchair-based dance work through a five-day educational residency.
National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $30 million in […]
This year Britt enjoyed an enthusiastic response to the Crater Lake Project, the Britt Orchestra Season and our Popular Music line-up. Out of 45 concerts performed on Britt’s main stage and in the Performance Garden, overall attendance was over 64,000, with an average attendance of […]
I wrote this column several years back and have never repeated a column before now. Read on and you will understand why I am re-publishing this sweet reminder.
I am dedicating this entire column to the Britt Society, the unsung heroes of Britt Music and Arts Festival. Did you know […]
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 […]
In July 2016, members of the Britt Orchestra and Music Director Teddy Abrams will celebrate the unique majesty of Crater Lake with performances at the national park. Abrams will lead approximately 40 Britt Orchestra musicians in the performances, with the dramatic panorama of the entire lake as the backdrop. The musicians will perform a world […]
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 […]
The Britt ACE (Arts Career Exploration) program is presenting a concert by the Portland Cello Project in the Britt Performance Garden on June 4th, 2015 from 8 to 10 p.m. The concert is a culmination of knowledge through a year of study by the ACE participants, who consist of Medford students from both North and […]
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. […]
The Northwest’s premier outdoor summer music festival presents performances by artists in pop, bluegrass, rock, country and classical music and more.
JACKSONVILLE, OR — The roots and jam band John Butler Trio, country artist Easton Corbin, pop flamenco act The Gipsy Kings, pop/rockers NEEDTOBREATHE and Switchfoot, the alt-rock band The Decemberists, prolific songwriter Randy Newman, progressive […]
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, […]
This summer, beginning on July 26, about 100 musicians will descend on Jacksonville. They’re all members of some of the country’s leading orchestras and come to town to be part of the annual three-week-long Britt Classical Festival. Many of them stay here in Jacksonville, where 41 local families open their hearts and homes to them […]
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 […]
Britt Festival just announced their 2015 Britt Classical Programs! Tickets go on sale to both members and non-members on Friday, February 6, 2015 at 9am. Get your tickets at brittfest.org!
Friday, July 31 – 8 p.m.
ABRAMS: Visceral
SCRIABIN: Poem of Ecstasy
ORFF: Carmina Burana
Guest Artists: Hugh Russell, baritone; Celena Shafer, soprano; Javier Abreu, tenor, Southern Oregon […]
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 […]