October 4, 2025
Written by Cocoa Laney, photographs by Santiago Ochoa
In 1976, five locals gathered to play music in honor of the United States’ 200th anniversary — and accidentally founded an orchestra.
“They’re like, ‘Let’s keep doing this. It’s fun,’” recounted Gail Ridenour, executive director of the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. “So it grew and changed, and they got a conductor, and then they got a better conductor.”
What began as the Whatcom Bicentennial Orchestra is now the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra (BSO), which kickstarts its “golden” season on Oct. 5. Over the past half-century, the orchestra has amassed a library of more than 500 works, and performances are regularly attended by a minimum of 1,000 eager audience members.
Bellingham locals aren’t the only people invested in BSO’s success. The orchestra also draws in guest soloists from across the world, and its Harmony from Discord series — which Ridenour said features “music that transcends oppression” — even caught the attention of famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. He’ll join BSO for a sold-out performance on April 26, 2026.
“Soloists that come from all over the country and world have told us that they can feel the energy behind the orchestra,” said principal cellist Samantha Sinai, “and feel our passion.”
Offstage, however, Ridenour said planning each program is akin to solving “the best puzzle.” As for how her team juggles seven shows, 80-plus musicians, 100 subs, a roster of soloists and an ever-growing mountain of sheet music? Every performance is one of a kind — and every musician, staff member and volunteer plays a role.
“It’s amazing how many different behind-the-scenes things have to happen to make a program run smoothly,” Ridenour said. “It’s people that make it happen, and it creates this once-in-a-moment experience. I mean, live music — there really is nothing like it.”
Today, Conductor Yaniv Attar estimates roughly 70% of BSO’s core group of musicians have advanced degrees in music. Some players are recent additions, whereas others have performed with the symphony since its earliest days.
“They are people who went to college to get their bachelor’s and their master’s in performance on their instruments, and choose to live [in] Whatcom County … and play together as a community-based orchestra,” Attar said, “which I think is really special.”
Read the rest of the Cascadia Daily News feature here:
