Colin Britt

It’s been a busy couple of months! On February 2nd of this year, I had the privilege of accompanying the District II Honor Choir in Maine, conducted by my good friend Marc Kaplan. We opened the mixed choir performance with my fanfare, “A Dream and a Song” – here’s a video from their fabulous performance:

On February 23, the Hartford Chorale Chamber Singers presented “Our American Heritage,” a concert celebrating choral Americana. The performance included music by Barnett, Bernstein, Burleigh, Copland, Graham, Hogan, Smallwood, and Whalum. Douglas-Jayd Burn accompanied, and he and I performed a flashy 4-hand arrangement of the overture to “Candide”!

Then, on March 2, I conducted a choir of tremendously talented middle schoolers in the Northern Regionals music festival at Harbur Middle School. The program included Stephan Barnacle’s South African Trilogy and “O My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose,” composed by Marc Kaplan and me. It was a joy to make music with these very energetic and musical kids!

Finally, on Saturday, March 9, I attended the premiere of my latest choral work, “I Long to See,” performed by the Young New Yorkers’ Chorus, under the direction of Michael Kerschner. Stay tuned for a recording from their beautiful performance!!

Pictured (L to R): Michael Kerschner, Jocelyn Hagen, Colin Britt, Joshua Fishbein

This July, Friday the 13th is your lucky day as the beloved Johnny Burke Musical “Swinging On a Star” is brought to life at Playhouse on Park!

The popular revue with music and lyrics by Johnny Burke is a dazzling, toe-tapping, finger-snapping delight featuring over 40 American standards. Classics like “Pennies from Heaven”, “Imagination” and of course, the Academy Award winning “Swinging on a Star”, are woven together to create a feel-good entertainer that will leave a smile on the face and a song in the heart of any theatre fan.

Directed and choreographed by Playhouse on Park Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director, Darlene Zoller, with Musical Direction by Colin Britt, “Swinging on a Star” takes you everywhere from a 1920’s speakeasy to Paramount Pictures Movie Studio with the help of number of Connecticut talents. Rounding out the cast are Hillary Ekwall, Amanda Forker, Kevin Barlowski, Scott Scaffidi, Jenna Levitt, Marissa Famiglietti, and Dakota Dutcher along with dancers, MacKenzie Friedmann, Spencer Pond, and Shannon Farrell.

The shows run begins with preview performances on Wednesday, July 11th and Thursday, the 12th, and opens officially on Friday, July 13th. The Opening Night performance will be preceded by a complimentary wine and cheese reception for patrons to enjoy from 7:00pm to 8:00pm and a Talk Back with the cast and director will follow the Sunday June 17th, 2012 matinee.

In addition, keeping in step with musicality of the show, a BYOB, open mic led by music director, Britt, will follow the Saturday, July 21st performance. This bonus FREE event begins 10-15 minutes after curtain call and is open to the public; though tipping the band is recommended. Feel free to bring your own music or choose from ours and join in the fun as a performer or audience member.

“Swinging On A Star” runs July 11th through July 29th (with a additional matinee on Wednesday, July 18th at 2pm) at West Hartford’s award winning professional theatre, Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road. Tickets range in price from $22.50 – $32.50 (Students, Seniors, Let’s Go Arts members save $2.50 per ticket) and can be purchased in person or over the phone at the box office 860-523-5900 ext. 10, Tuesday to Friday (10am – 6pm); Saturday (10am – 2pm) and 2 hours before curtain; or online at www.PlayhouseOnPark.org. Preview show tickets are available for $15.00! For more information regarding our upcoming 2012-13 season, complete bios, special dining offers, and ticket deals, please visit the website or call us at the box office.

The Hartford Chorale Chamber Singers, under the music direction of Colin Britt, is pleased to announce its upcoming program, European Choral Gems, featuring Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes (op. 52) and music by Duruflé, Fauré, Finzi, Palestrina, and Vaughan Williams. The concert features Douglas-Jayd Burn and Fonyue Donn on piano. The program will be presented on Friday, May 11 at 7:30 pm at Marquand Chapel, 409 Prospect St, New Haven, and on Friday, May 18 at 7:30pm at Center Church, 60 Gold Street, Hartford. The New Haven performance is free; in Hartford, tickets are $15 general admission, seniors/students $10 and will be available at the door.

A review in the Journal Inquirer described a recent Hartford Chorale Chamber Singers performance: “…An extraordinary thing happened. A concert that became a meeting of hearts and minds…all was notable, overdue, and admirable…the singing was rousing.” The Hartford Chorale Chamber Singers are all members of the Hartford Chorale (Richard Coffey, Music Director), selected through audition, and committed to reaching beyond the setting of the traditional concert hall to entertain, educate and inspire a variety of new audiences. Through high quality choral performances, the Chamber Singers also enhance and extend the community outreach and education mission of the Hartford Chorale itself.

For more information, contact the Hartford Chorale office at 860-547-1982 or e-mail us at the.hartford.chorale@onecommail.com.

Last Saturday (March 3), I was incredibly fortunate to have two concerts featuring my works taking place! In Hartford, the professional chorus Voce, under the direction of Mark Singleton, offered  absolutely stunning renditions of “Afternoon on a Hill” and “As there are Flowers.” You can watch the performance of “Afternoon on a Hill” here. I will also be posting the recordings on my composition page very soon!

And in New Haven, the Notre Dame High School Chorus and Concert Band each performed one of my works as part of their composer-in-residence program. I’ve been working with both the chorus and band on a pair of commissions, the first being a choral setting of Psalm 23 that was premiered in December, and the second a band arrangement of the spirituals “Let us Break Bread Together” and “Were You There.” The latter received its premiere at this concert under the direction of David Roach, and my setting of Psalm 23 was reprised by the chorus, under the direction of my friend and Yale classmate Arianne Abela. Both pieces sounded absolutely beautiful. It’s been a joy collaborating with these gifted students and their innovative and inspirational teachers–I’ve learned a great deal in working with them, and I’ve enjoyed watching the students bring these pieces to life. What a wonderful opportunity for both the students and the composer!

Thanks to all the performers or those who have graciously supported these wonderful ensembles and directors!! Without you, this music would be nothing more than notes on a page.