Bellingham Music Club

08/05/2026

We are so grateful to have the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra as a partner in supporting the next generation of musicians.

08/02/2026

Some future reasons to visit Vancouver: Four new concert halls in the planning!

This is Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society's proposal to create a cultural precinct with four new concert hall venues.

07/22/2026

Let's get right to the heart of it: our 2026–2027 membership campaign is well underway, and we need you! As Membership Director, I see firsthand what your dues and gifts make possible — and I want to make sure you do too.

Every "Classical Crossroads" concert you will enjoy this season is the result of real, ongoing costs: paying and transporting our guest artists, renting performance venues, printing programs and promotional materials (like FanFare!), maintaining our website and member communications, advertising each concert, carrying insurance, funding Student Awards and adjudicator stipends, and covering the everyday administrative work that keeps BMC running smoothly. None of it happens without you.

Your membership is the engine behind all of it. When you renew today, you're not just supporting a concert series — you're investing in free, donation-based access to exceptional music for our whole community, and in the next generation of musicians finding their footing through our Student Awards program.

Here's the honest truth: our campaign only runs for two months, and this is your second invitation to join us this season. If you've already renewed, thank you — truly. If you haven't yet, now is the time!

Renewing is quick and easy, online or by mail. Just a few minutes of your time keeps our concerts free, our artists paid, and our students supported.

I'm so excited about this season's lineup, and I don't want you to miss a single note. Please renew today at https://bellinghammusicclub.org/membership/ — and if you know a friend or neighbor who loves great music, bring them along too!

Carol Reppun
BMC Membership Chair

BMC · Concerts 2026-2027 season details are here! July 22, 2026July 22, 2026 bellinghammusicclub We are thrilled to unveil our "Classical Crossroads" season line-up! Now in its 111th year, BMC will offer an array of exciting programs, where every turn will take you on an adventure! Together, we wil...

07/08/2026

Have you ever listened to a concert and felt the whole room breathe together — strangers and longtime friends, parents and children, neighbors and new acquaintances, all moved by the same performance at the same moment?

Music has that rare power — its language calls us together, across centuries, generations, cultures and backgrounds. With the performer as translator, notes on a page become something every listener can share. Living in times as complex as these, navigating varied viewpoints, influences and vast diversity, music provides what we urgently need: a place to restore our affinities, affirm our shared humanity, and voice our aspirations. Music becomes our common ground; our crossroads for hearts and minds.

In a community as tight-knit and caring as ours, that need is no less real. From young musicians finding encouragement from an older generation, to concertgoers discovering a musical tradition beyond their own, our programs use music to strengthen the ties that hold a community together, across every kind of divide. We've seen firsthand how a single concert can turn a room of strangers into something more like family — and open a listener's ears to a world they hadn't encountered before.

Let music bring us together…

Our 2026-2027 concert season is titled 'Classical Crossroads.' It celebrates the global music repertoire as a true community meeting place — where generations, backgrounds, and life stories intersect and remind us of what we hold in common. I am inviting you today to help us produce our 111th season of concerts and student awards, starting in September!

As BMC president, I've been moved by the range of guest artists who join us each year, and by the talent of the young musicians in our Student Awards program. I'm grateful to you and so many others for making our community so rich in musical opportunity. Most notably, with your support the Board and I plan to expand our artist compensation offerings. For our Student Awards participants, we're continuing our no-fee applications for the broadest possible participation. And we've reconfirmed our policy of concert admission by donation, keeping exceptional music accessible to all. These commitments are core to our mission, and your support makes them possible.

Let your membership make it possible...

With your early membership support, we'll launch our first concerts September 9 and 11, featuring string luminaries Shu-Hsin Ko (violin), Yuko Watanabe (viola), and Coral Marchant (cello)—all celebrated musicians from our own Bellingham Symphony Orchestra! This kicks off a monthly schedule of daytime and evening concerts through June 2027. Our 'Classical Crossroads' artists, most with strong Bellingham roots, promise concerts that bring together listeners of every age and background. Expect featured soloists, unique ensembles, and some surprises along the way! Our full 2026–2027 season schedule will be announced soon!

Your active BMC membership gives the Club the resources to jump-start our fall offerings and continue into the future. Renewing your membership is easy, online or by mail at https://bellinghammusicclub.org/.

Think of your gift as an investment in superb, accessible concerts that bring our community together across generations — and in student awards that support young musicians as they pursue their dreams. We're counting on your membership this year, and our campaign runs for only two months.

Please visit https://bellinghammusicclub.org/ to support the musical life of our community and the young musicians who need encouragement. And spread the word to friends! You'll make BMC's 111th season a reality — and help all of us find our way to the crossroads where music brings us together.

07/02/2026

What a great season-closing concert last Thursday! Our large audience in the Whatcom Museum rotunda enjoyed an intriguing mixture of experimental chamber music and jazz. Many people commented on how the cello and saxophone blended so well together. Reflecting their long collaboration, cellist Ben Shirley and saxophonist Jeff Crompton delivered moving moments and fun surprises. They performed with an almost telegraphic synchronization, intuitively anticipating each other's shifts like a single musical mind. Bravo!

06/17/2026

We love spicing up our concert seasons with a musical bonus—and this year is very special! To celebrate the grand finale of our 109th season, we are bringing a vibrant, soulful jazz experience to you in the beautiful Whatcom Museum rotunda, 121 Prospect Street in Bellingham, on Thursday, June 25, at 7:30pm. For this unique evening, we suggest a $20 donation; all proceeds will go directly to the performers!

An evening of cellist Ben Shirley and saxophonist Jeff Crompton promises a world-class experience in "off-center" jazz and avant-garde improvisation. Longtime staples of Atlanta’s progressive music community (though Crompton has relocated now to the Pacific Northwest) the duo has fused their unique styles into a spellbinding, intimate saxophone-and-cello dynamic.

For the past seven years, Crompton and Shirley have been combining composition and improvisation to create richly-textured music poised between contemporary chamber music and jazz. Their musical chemistry demonstrates a massive breadth of historical knowledge with a fearless approach to experimental soundscapes.

🎷 Jeff Crompton: The "Off-Center" Jazz Guru

Crompton plays what he describes as "challenging jazz" rather than standard hotel lounge background music. His style is deeply rooted in the history of New Orleans jazz, blues, and avant-garde pioneers like Ornette Coleman and Steve Lacy. For five decades, he shaped the Atlanta music scene as a performer, composer, and educator. He has led acclaimed groups like the Edgewood Saxophone Trio and Standard Practice, and even performed as a guest soloist with the post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

🎻 Ben Shirley: The Dynamic Multi-Genre Cellist

Shirley uses the cello to meld the worlds of avant-garde jazz, old-time American fiddle, and experimental minimalism. His performances are famous for exploring texture, sustain, environment, and the beautiful friction between harmony and dissonance. He is a prominent member of several boundary-pushing projects, including the experimental orchestra Faun and a Pan Flute and the ambient, "deep listening Appalachia" duo Whispers of Night.

Don’t miss this incredible season finale - guaranteed to "Elevate Your Spirit!" Join us in the Whatcom Museum for an unforgettable evening of spellbinding music by these two extraordinary artists live. We cannot wait to share this soaring musical experience with you—see you there!

06/11/2026

A message from Rollanda O'Connor, BMC President:

BMC’s 2025-2026 Season – our 110th! – lifted our spirits to new heights!

Our pinnacle concerts on June 3 and 4 definitely took us flying. The Global Dimensions and WWU Percussion Ensembles led by WWU Professor of Percussion Patrick Roulet guided us on a heart-pounding tour of world percussion instruments and demonstrated the professionalism of WWU’s music program.

And we still have one final concert coming up June 25, 7:30, at the Whatcom Museum, with cellist Ben Shirley and saxophonist Jeff Crompton for an evening of jazz. The duo has fused their unique styles into a spellbinding, intimate saxophone-and-cello dynamic.

The student awards were particularly inspiring this season. I hope you were in the audience on May 6 for the last of our three Student Awards Showcases. The collective sigh of the listeners as each performer concluded and before the applause began was priceless! What talent we have among our young musicians, giving us pleasure now and hope for the future, and what a way to “Elevate Your Spirit!”

Bellingham Music Club is known for its incredible talent and wide variety of our contributing musicians and instruments, as this season demonstrated yet again. From Bellissima Brass (five wind-performing women playing selections composed by women), to the twin pianos of Rebecca and Gabriel Mañalac (One Soul, Two Pianos evoking playful interweaving of parts), to Vocal Extravaganza (Heather Dudenbostel and voice virtuosos from WWU and the opera community), to Samantha Sinai’s Romantic Cello (duets between deep, mellow tones and a dancing treble of piano), to violinist Grant Donnellan and pianist Judith Woodrig’s Musical Travelogue (playing music from American composers) to the final exuberant percussion extravaganza with Dr. Patrick Roulet's students and instruments from Ghana and around the world —all combining to create a magical array of experiences for our audience.

Each year I have the honor of recognizing the many, many individuals who make BMC strong and resourceful. Profound thanks to you, our BMC members (261 strong!) and many donors, who have made the BMC solvent and ready to embark on a spectacular 2026-2027 season. We are grateful to our Program Committee volunteers Mary Passmore, Carla Rutschman, Ed Rutschman, Celie Thomas and Joan Youngquist, led by Committee Chair Isabelle Cormier, and Student Awards Coordinators – Celie Thomas, Mark Schlichting, Jami Templeton and Lisa McCarthy.

Setting our ambitious goals and meeting our budgets, my fellow Board members Isabelle Cormier, Joan Youngquist, Carol Reppun, Celie Thomas, Anne Hendrickson are a powerhouse team. They cheerfully work hours every month, often in their areas of expertise, but also jumping in on any and all work that needs to be done to ensure the concerts and awards programs run smoothly. Also, we are exceedingly grateful for the additional talents and contributions of volunteers Scott Henderson, Judy Corliss, and Lee Cole. As always, we thank our concert hosts, Trinity Lutheran and First Congregational churches, who allow us to bring the music to you in beautiful acoustical settings.

Our 2025-26 theme was “Elevate Your Spirit,” and that is what we set out to do. We believe, as you do, that music is a cultural, emotional, spiritual and intellectual force that transforms us as individuals and as society at large. We are dedicated to bringing positive community change, expanding our sense of the possible and elevating human experience. We are grateful to have your partnership in this endeavor.

The best part? Stay tuned, because 2026-2027 promises to be even more.

Rollanda O'Conner, BMC President

05/13/2026

Last week, students from the WWU Department of Music delighted us with an exceptionally diverse program, offering a brilliant testament to the world-class musical training at our university.

The winners of the BMC Virginia Glover Awards brought us high artistry and virtuosity expressed in complex and refined music ranging from Bach to contemporary 20th century composers. Our audience was thrilled, to put it mildly!

We heard violinist Joshua Tom playing a crowd favorite for violin, and mezzo-soprano Laya Hall singing romantic and cabaret songs, followed by an intricate piece (by Bach!) for marimba with Jacob Anderson, expressive contemporary songs by tenor Keith Bateman, and contrasting works by pianist Emilie Buhl.

The winners’ biographies, along with program details, announcements and news can be found in the May edition of our Fan Fare newsletter. Click on this link or paste the URL in your browser:https://bellinghammusicclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/BMC-News-for-May-2026.pdf

We are immensely grateful to Dr. Richard Hodges who coordinates the WWU Awards on campus, and collaborative pianists Rachel Roulet and Rebecca Mañalac for their essential role in these heartfelt performances.

Our June programs promise a unique journey with “The Wood that Sings!” featuring vibrant music for xylophone and marimba. Dr. Patrick Roulet and the WWU percussion ensembles will showcase traditional instruments like the Mexican and Guatemalan marimbas and the West African gyil. A rare highlight is the Ugandan embaire, a massive 21-key xylophone played by eight musicians at once—one of only five such instruments in the country.

Join us on Wednesday, June 3, 10:30am for a matinee preview at Trinity Lutheran Church, and the full Night Beat concert on Thursday, June 4, 7:30pm at First Congregational Church (not the usual Friday!).

And we invite you to mark your calendar for a special event that BMC is adding to its calendar! Celebrated jazz musicians, saxophonist Jeff Crompton and cellist Ben Shirley make their West Coast debut on Thursday, June 25, 7:30pm at the Museum Rotunda!

All BMC awards and concerts are possible thanks to a small group of gifted volunteers, as well as your generous, ongoing support. As we look forward to seeing you at our next “Elevate Your Spirit” concerts of the season, we sincerely thank you for helping us bring the gift of music to our community!

04/29/2026

Prepare to be swept away! We are just a week away from the most anticipated highlight of the year, a celebration of talent that defines the BMC musical mission.

Each year, our scholarships have recognized the region’s most formidable and impressive young talent, and next Wednesday, May 6, that legacy will be on full display in the WWU Awards in honor of Virginia Glover.

Join us at 10:30 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church to experience five award-winning virtuosos from WWU. The matinee concert is free to all! This year’s cohort, featuring two pianists, two vocalists, and a marimba player (!), represents the pinnacle of dedication and artistic excellence. They will bring to life a rigorous program of Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Bolcom and more. Come witness the future of music as these young professionals begin their ascent. They will truly “Elevate Your Spirit!”

To truly appreciate this storied legacy which has propelled nearly a century of local talent onto the national stage, we must look back to 1929. That year, under the presidency of Mrs. Hugh Eldridge, the Bellingham Women’s Music Club awarded its very first scholarship to local violinist Sol Thal, who later became a foundational figure in our musical community through his private studio and his work at Western Washington University.

That early connection to WWU blossomed into a century-long partnership. Over the decades, the club has awarded tens of thousands of dollars to scores of young musicians, providing a vital springboard for young artists. Many of our past recipients have ascended to distinguished professional careers as soloists, ensemble musicians, and collaborative pianists. Others have shaped the industry as recording and pit musicians, school and conservatory teachers, coaches, conductors, music directors - and many other music-related professions.

Next Wednesday, you aren't just attending a recital; you are witnessing the next chapter of this 100-year legacy. And experiencing the next generation of professional musicians!

04/09/2026

This photograph captures a proud milestone for the Bellingham Music Club, our generous members, and nine exceptionally gifted young musicians. On Wednesday morning, April 1, we were treated to remarkable performances by the recipients of the BMC High School Piano and Voice Awards, as well as the saxophone winner of a Winds/Percussion Award. The audience was captivated by their polished artistry. This matinee program was a truly extraordinary showcase of Whatcom County’s finest young talent.

BMC sends kudos to coordinators Celie Thomas and Jami Templeton, who conducted the piano and voice adjudications in such a masterful way! The whole 2026 high school awards program was a huge success!

You can find biographies for all the winners, along with program details, announcements, and news in the April edition of our Fan Fare newsletter. Click on this link or paste the URL in your browser:https://bellinghammusicclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/BMC-News-April-2026.pdf

And now, we turn our attention to our May offering! We will gather at Trinity Lutheran Church, on May 6, 10:30am, to hear the winners of the university-level WWU Awards in honor of Virginia Glover. As always, our Wednesday matinee is free and open to all. We look forward to seeing you there!

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to celebrating our final 2026 student showcase concert with you!