As the days begin to lengthen, we finally want to wish you a Happy New Year!
We are excited to be nearing our February concert! This performance features a beautiful string trio by Australian composer, Miriam Hyde, performed by Lenelle Morse, Lisa Humphrey and Sam Sinai. We welcome Eli Schille-Hudson back to the BCMS stage where he will be joined by Mehrdad Gohlami in 2 duets for flute and guitar. This duo will surround us with rich sounds from Brazilian and Iranian composers. The concert will end with the gorgeous palette that is Mozart at his finest. Erika Block shares one of her favorites, the exquisite Mozart “Clarinet Quintet”.
BCMS has been busy behind the scenes…..,
Our inaugural Harmony Chamber Music Festival will launch this spring! The Festival celebrates youth in music and comprises 2 separate events: a weekend of intensive chamber music at the end of March and a chamber music competition in early May. The festival is open to students from Whatcom, Skagit and Island and San Juan counties between the ages of ~13-18. Find out more about our festival and competition here.
SPONSOR A STUDENT OR ENSEMBLE
If you are inspired to help us raise funds for student financial aid, please do! The Harmony Chamber Music weekend tuition is $125 for the entire weekend. We are grateful for a donation of any amount to help offset a student’s chamber music journey.
Many thanks to our education team: Jen Weeks, Pat Nelson, Lenelle Morse and Lisa Humphrey who worked together to craft the shape of this festival.
Special thanks to our local sponsors Whatcom Community College, Quist Violins, Windworks, and private donors. With all this help and energy we will see this dream come alive!
Our Biggest News….
Following our November concert, one of our patrons, Jean Ciochon approached BCMS secretary, Jen Weeks asking if we would ever take donation instruments. Jen began telling her about another dream of creating an instrument loan program, as she thought Jean had a dusty flute or violin in her closet. When Jean shared she had a 7’ Steinway grand piano Jen had to pick her jaw up off the floor.
BCMS is delighted to accept Jean’s amazing 7’ Steinway B piano from 1979 and has found a place for it at the Hotel Leo. We have met with Jean a few times over the course of working out the details of such a magnificent donation and she is very happy to see that the piano will be making music again. The Steinway will be featured on our May 18th concert and will be played by three amazing pianists including Michelle Huang, Kay Zavislak and Judith Widrig. Find out more about this concert. Thank you Jean!!!
Thanks to all of our sponsors, audience members, sustaining patrons, and volunteers for helping to keep live music a reality in Bellingham!
The BCMS team