Bellingham Music Club

This spring, the Bellingham Music Club offers three concert showcases celebrating the next generation of musicians. We would love to see you at our second installment!

On Wednesday, April 1, 10:30am at Trinity Lutheran Church, 119 Texas Street, you can enjoy nine very accomplished high school students in an hour-long program of works by Donaudy, Glinka, Ginastera, Haydn, Liszt and Mozart, to name but a few.

You'll hear the deserving winners of the High School Piano Awards in honor of Nancy Bussard, the Voice Awards in honor of Jack & Ginny Frymire, and an outstanding saxophone player, winner of a Winds/Percussion Award in honor of Nicholas Bussard. Admission is free, and we guarantee an inspiring and uplifting experience!

And as a thank you for your support and generosity, we will also give away CDs from Jack and Ginny Frymire’s private collection of opera and musical theater recordings. A chance to own a memento and remember them fondly.

Just a few days later, drop in on Saturday, April 4, starting at 10:00am, to Western Washington University PAC Concert Hall and hear the adjudication for the university’s BMC Music Awards in honor of Virginia Glover. We invite you to hear the exceptional students who have chosen music as a career. Come hear a few or all of them – again, for free.

Our 2025-2026 Season aims high to “Elevate Your Spirit!” We hope you can join us and applaud our amazing local talents!

Last Wednesday, our season’s theme of "Elevate Your Spirit" lived up to its promise! Cellist Samantha Sinai and pianist Michelle Huang made their BMC debut and performed for an enthusiastic audience of more than 190 attendees — well above our usual attendance (we apologize for running out of printed materials!). Their program paired Clara Schumann’s graceful Three Romances, Op. 22, with the emotional breadth of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 19. The result was a musical matinee that felt both intimate and deeply uplifting.

Samantha Sinai brought her trademark warmth and emotional insight to her performance. A cellist, music therapist, and educator, Samantha is dedicated to sharing music in accessible and meaningful ways. Now Principal Cellist of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Partner with Bellingham House Concerts, her broad background infuses her performances with a profound sense of purpose and connection.

Pianist Michelle Huang matched that depth with playing that was both expressive and brilliantly clear. A native of Taiwan, Michelle is an active soloist and chamber musician who thrives on creating imaginative, story-driven concert experiences. Her career has taken her across continents as a performer, lecturer, and educator, and she continues to mentor a vibrant studio of young pianists in Seattle.

Together, Samantha and Michelle shaped the program into a sweeping musical narrative—by turns fiery, tender, and exuberant—earning warm applause and sending the audience home truly elevated in spirit.

You can read all the details about the concert and these remarkable performers in the latest Fan Fare newsletter here: https://bellinghammusicclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/BMC-News-Dec-25.pdf. Fan Fare is also your source for current BMC news and community happenings!

And that was the perfect close to the first half of our current season! "Elevate Your Spirit" will resume on February 4 and 5, with a new Musical Travelogue with violinist Grant Donnellan.

Warm holiday wishes to you and yours!

With three outstanding programs completed this fall, our 2025-2026 season has already delivered on our promise to “Elevate Your Spirit” – and we anticipate another uplifting and memorable experience in December.

Cellist Samantha Sinai and pianist Michelle Huang will offer a recital high in emotion and virtuosity on Wednesday, December 3, 10:30am at Trinity Lutheran Church, 119 Texas Street in Bellingham. The ravishing Sonata in G minor for Cello and Piano by Rachmaninoff anchors their program, with Clara Schumann’s Three Romances Op. 22 rounding out an exceptional collaboration. Mark your calendar and join us for ONE matinee program only! Free, open to all, and family friendly. This is BMC’s holiday gift to the community. Bring a friend!

In this time of gratitude, we want to highlight the vital role our Program Committee plays in imagining, developing and bringing our concert season to you. Dr. Carla Rutschman, Darlene Mathias, Dr. Ed Rutschman, Joan Youngquist, Mary Passmore, and Celie Thomas are those imaginative and resourceful stars who shine behind the scenes. We thank them for giving life to our professional musicians’ series!

Year after year, you sustain our endeavors with your enthusiastic presence and generous gifts. BMC runs on volunteer power and needs you to grow and expand. Think about joining the board, awards or social committees, taking photos at concerts or using your computer skills from the comfort of your home. Applause, financial support and a bit of time from willing friends– it’s a magical formula for success!

Happy Thanksgiving all!