BCMS Spring Finale: Ground Breaking

May 7, 3:00pm 

Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom

Carolyn Canfield, violin Page Smith, cello Judith Widrig, piano

Carolyn Canfield, violin Page Smith, cello  Judith Widrig, piano

Shu-Hsin Ko, violin Lisa Humphrey, viola, Coral Marchant, cello Spencer Hoveskeland, bass, Lisa McCarthy, flute, Jennifer Weeks, oboe, Erika Block, clarinet, Pat Nelson, bassoon, Gustavo Camacho, horn

Usher in the Spring with joyous and celebratory music by some of the greatest women composers in history. Many people have heard of Clara Schumann as the wife of Romantic composer, Robert Schumann, and also celebrated concert pianist, but few know the extent of her composing prowess. Her “Piano Trio” known as one of her more celebrated works, was her first attempt to write for instruments other than the piano and voice. This masterpiece will be paired with contemporary composer, Jennifer Higdon’s “Piano Trio” that explores the relationship between sound and color and the potential for these to convey emotions. The concert will finish with a lovely nonet for winds and strings by French composer, Louise Farrenc, who was not allowed to study composition in a public institution, but studied privately and attained a command of the Classical style . 

The BCMS signature cocktail for this concert will be the Schumann Spritz

Past Performances this season

September 18^th, 3:00pm 

Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom

BCMS Season Opening Gala

Gustav Holst (1874- 1934)

Sextet in E Minor

I. Moderato

II.Scherzo. Allegro vivace

III. Adagio

IV. Tema. Allegretto (with Variations)

(Approx. 25 minutes)

Shu-Hsin Ko, violin  Yuko Watanabe, viola  Coral Marchant, cello  Jennifer Weeks, oboe

Erika Block, clarinet  Pat Nelson, bassoon 

–Intermission–

Johannes Brahms (1833-1896)

String Quintet No 1. in F Major Op. 88

I. Allegro non troppo ma con brio

II. Grave ed appassionato- Allegretto vivace- Tempo 1- Presto- Tempo 1

III. Allegro energico- Presto

(Approx. 30 minutes)

Dawn Posey, Lenelle Morse, violin Eric Kean, Lisa Humphrey, viola  Sam Sinai, cello

Experience live chamber music in the beautiful Crystal Ballroom of the Hotel Leo. The opening concert of the Bellingham Chamber Music Society will feature the seldom performed “Sextet in e minor” by Gustav Holst for winds and strings. Influenced by traditional English folksong, this work features wide expansive melodies and intricate sonorities and represents Holst as a young composer, seventeen years before he wrote his famous orchestral work “The Planets”. This will be followed by the Brahms “String Quintet no. 1 in F Major”, also known as the “double viola quintet” as it is scored for two violas creating a very lush sound scape. Brahms once told his longtime friend, Clara Schumann, that this was “one of his finest works”. 

Join us after the concert for a reception where you can meet and mingle with the artists and try a Brahms Bliss, the BCMS signature cocktail from the cash bar. 

The Revolutionaries: Piazzola and Schubert

November 20th, 3:00pm 

Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom

Eli Schille-Hudson, guitar   Omar Firestone, cello

(20 minutes )

-Intermission-

Carolyn Canfield, Lenelle Morse, violin  Eric Kean, viola  Omar Firestone, cello

Spencer Hoveskeland, bass  Erika Block, clarinet  Pat Nelson, bassoon, John Turman, horn

(60 minutes)

Drink in the Fall color and sprit of two musical revolutionaries, Astor Piazzola and Franz Schubert. Both from humble beginnings, each composer found their own unique voice and musical expression leaving behind a vast legacy of inspirational music. Piazzola’s every popular Oblivion and Libertango will get your toes tapping only to be calmed by Schubert’s subtle an engaging “Arpeggione”. The concert will end with Schubert’s “Octet”, a tour de force work for winds and strings that has often been hailed as the greatest work in classical chamber music. 

BCMS Winter Concert: Devotion

February 12th, 3:00pm 

Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom

Kim Breilein, flute   Jennifer Weeks, oboe   Pat Nelson, bassoon

(12 minutes)

   

Carolyn Canfield, violin Coral Marchant, cello Jennifer Weeks, oboe  Pat Nelson, bassoon

(11 minutes)

Carolyn Canfield, Lenelle Morse, violin  Eric Kean, viola  Sarah Rommel, cello  Erika Block, clarinet 

 (40 minutes)

Bathe in the beauty of lush sonorities and transporting melodies while you begin your journey with Alyssa Morris’ musical portraiture “Brush Strokes” based on Impressionist and Contemporary paintings. Then travel to Venezuala with Santaella’s  “A” for winds and strings which is both energetic and poetic which will prepare you for the main course, Brahm’s Quintet for Clarinet and Strings. Brahms came out of retirement to write this piece for clarinetist Richard Muhlfeld after hearing him play. The work features exquisite musical melodies, dark colors, bold singing lines and Hungarian folk idioms. 

The BCMS Signature cocktail for this show will be the Cupid Spritz.

Between Two Worlds 

SOLD OUT

March 11, 7:30pm 

The Blue Room 

Between Two World: Exploring the space between Classical and Jazz Music

BJ Block, guitar   Christian Casolary, drums Roger Yamishita, bass

Erika Block, clarinet   Jennifer Weeks, oboe   Pat Nelson, bassoon

What separates the languages of Classical and Jazz Music? In this special evening, we celebrate the similarities between these two great languages. The BJ Block trio joins rioT, for an incredible evening of jazz, classical and crossover music that celebrates our similarities and our differences.