Bellingham Symphony Orchestra Celebrates 50 Years

In Monday’s (3/24) Whatcom Talk (Whatcom County, Washington), Margaret Bikman writes, “In 1976, a group of local instrumentalists came together to prepare a concert celebrating the country’s bicentennial. They called themselves the Whatcom County Bicentennial Orchestra … Fifty years later, Bellingham Symphony Orchestra’s best-kept secret for its Golden Season is that internationally acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma will perform Elgar’s Cello Concerto with the BSO on April 26, 2026, as part of the symphony’s successful Harmony from Discord series…. The symphony has seen remarkable growth over the years. Its name changed in 1979 to Whatcom Symphony Orchestra … In 1991, the symphony found its permanent home at the historic Mount Baker Theatre … In 2019, six years after current Music Director Yaniv Attar came on board, the nonprofit’s name was changed to Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Attar says the Golden Season will be the BSO’s most ambitious yet … In addition to Yo-Yo Ma, guest soloists include Simone Porter and Joshua Roman, plus a work by Grammy Award-winning Jessie Montgomery…. Chamber music concerts are performed at more intimate venues throughout the year…. Over the course of a year, the symphony performs more than 50 in-school events, all of which are free…. The symphony partners with a myriad of other local organizations.”