The Bellingham Symphony Orchestra has announced its 45th season, albeit in a different format.
Due to health concerns, the symphony will not be playing concerts in person; instead, it will make its concerts available on its website, BTV, or on radio station KMRE 102.3 FM. After the initial broadcast, which is free of charge, the concerts will remain available on the website, either by purchase for an individual performance, or via a season subscription.
Among the soloists who will appear this year is Anthony McCall, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra's principal clarinet; Grammy-winning oboist Alex Klein; vocalist Ashley Becker, who hails from Puyallup; and soprano Ibidunni Ojikutu.
Some small chamber groups have gathered safely, in person, to add to the variety of programming available. The orchestra's music director, Yaniv Attar, notes that while the musicians will be at home, watching them play up close brings a new dimension to the experience that is not possible in a concert hall. The audience is simply not as close to the artist as they will be watching online.
The Bellingham Symphony dates back to 1976, when a small group of musicians got together to celebrate the nation's bicentennial. They called themselves the Whatcom County Bicentennial Orchestra, and had so much fun they decided to keep going. The name was changed in 2019.
The broadcasts will begin on the second Sunday of October, and continue through June 2021. Flyer printing can be used to create mailers as reminders of events like this.
