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, and Frank Nielsen directed its first public performance on March 16th, 1976.
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.
“We’re thrilled to have Yo-Yo Ma join us,” Executive Director Gail Ridenour says of this momentous milestone. “We wanted to dream big and give back to our community, which has helped us bring amazing music to Whatcom County for so many years.”
The performance will mark the first time the internationally acclaimed cellist has played in Bellingham.
Read the rest of Margaret Bikman's WhatcomTalk feature and see more photos here: https://www.whatcomtalk.com/2025/03/24/bellingham-symphony-orchestra-celebrates-50-years-with-a-golden-season-like-no-other/.
