Litchfield Performing Arts is celebrating twenty-eight seasons of service through the arts this year. Its undisputed centerpiece is The Litchfield Jazz Festival, a favorite of the public and critics alike. Over its 13 years, the festival has had the honor of presenting jazz titans---musicians like Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, Slide Hampton, Wayne Shorter and Toots Thielemans. We were also blessed to have heard with you some of the field's finest players just before they passed away-Tommy Flanagan, Ray Charles, Thomas Chapin, Tito Puente, and Stanley Turrentine. And, we have had the thrill of discovering the stars of tomorrow- Diana Krall, Brad Mehldau, Lizz Wright and Jane Monheit, to name a few.

Since our early days of classical concerts in my living room, Litchfield Performing Arts (LPA) has grown well beyond anything we ever imagined. Through the festival we reach audiences from all over the world. Through the Litchfield Jazz Camp we have been privileged to bring the best in jazz instruction to hundreds of students annually. With the help of generous funders, we have been able to bring integrated arts education to several thousand students a year through Project Poetry Live! and other educational programs. And, we see to it that first-class arts education opportunities are available to all, especially those who would otherwise be unable to afford them.