Teddy Abrams and the Britt Orchestra will perform a new orchestral work for soprano, vocal trio, and orchestra entitled emergency shelter intake form on July 27 at 7:30pm. Co-commissioned by Britt and the Oregon Symphony from composer Gabriel Kahane, the piece tackles issues related to the twin crises of housing insecurity and homelessness in our country. Britt has a unique and special evening planned to highlight how these issues impact the Rogue Valley and beyond. The revised program is now titled: emergency shelter intake form: a special evening on housing insecurity.
The evening’s music will begin with Divertimento for Orchestra by Leonard Bernstein, followed by emergency shelter intake form. Following the performance, the Britt Hill will become a venue to hold an open forum discussion about Kahane’s new work and housing insecurity in the southern Oregon community. Britt has worked closely with Rogue Retreat and the Maslow Project to facilitate the discussion. Both of these organizations will have tables in Britt’s Performance Garden, where they will discuss their services for the housing insecure. Paintings that reflect on the issue of homelessness created by artist Aaron Burgess will be on display for patrons to view and reflect upon. The evening’s guest artists, including soprano Measha Brueggergosman, the composer, and vocalists Kristen Toedtman and Holcombe Waller, will also join the discussion from the main stage, along with Britt’s Music Director, Teddy Abrams, and members of the Britt Orchestra.
In addition, Britt is holding a pre-concert instrument drive to supply musical instruments to the Maslow Project and Rogue Retreat. For each instrument donated, Britt will provide a lawn ticket for the concert that evening. If you wish to give an instrument, please consider the following:
Acceptable Instruments: Acoustic only, with case preferred; violins, violas, cellos, standard woodwinds (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone), standard brass (horn, trumpet, trombone), guitar, ukulele, mandolin, or banjo.
Unacceptable instruments: percussion/drums; electronic instruments such as keyboards, electric guitars, and amps; exceedingly large instruments (no basses, tubas); “toy” instruments; recorders, kazoos, harmonicas.
The Britt Orchestra, led by Teddy Abrams, is expanding the orchestral repertoire with new and commissioned works, bringing world-class music to the southern Oregon region. Through projects like this July 27 performance, Britt welcomes and encourages the creation of exciting new ways to experience orchestral music in our community.
Due to the length of the new composition, Britt has changed the previously advertised program. Ravel’s “La Valse,” Anna Clyne’s “Abstractions” and Respighi’s “Pines of Rome” are no longer on the program.
Inspired by its intimate and scenic hillside venue, Britt Music & Arts Festival provides diverse live performances, an incomparable classical festival and dynamic education programs that create a sense of discovery and community. Since its grassroots beginnings in 1963, the non-profit organization has grown from a two-week chamber music festival to a summer-long series of concerts in a variety of genres, including a three-week orchestra season, and year-round education and engagement programs. For more information, visit www.brittfest.org.