BI symphony, chorale reunite for performance after long layoff
Published 1:30 am Monday, April 13, 2026
The Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra joined forces with Bainbridge Chorale for a French concert April 10-12 for the first time since 2017. What used to be a regular partnership every two to three years for decades came to a halt due to the pandemic in March 2020. The performance was named Celebration and Ceremony, reflecting the idea of coming together on stage after many years apart for the two groups.
The program featured the brass of Dukas’s La Péri, the lyricism of Fauré’s Pavane, the intimacy of Messiaen’s O sacrum convivium, and the orchestral colors of Debussy’s Nocturnes. Each evening culminated in a performance of Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem, often known as a work of warmth and serenity, that offers a moving expression of reflection, unity, and the transcendent power of music.
All of the music in the performance was French, with some pieces without vocals, many with, and the largest piece, Requiem, in Latin. “This is a really beautiful piece not done very often,” said conductor for the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra Ryan Dakota Farris. “The Requiem is not a work that you get to hear very often with a full orchestra. We really enjoyed putting it together.” Farris has been with the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra for two years and is currently a doctoral student at the University of Washington studying conducting.
The performance was held at the Bainbridge High School Theater. The 1500 square-foot stage that accommodates over 360 guests was completed as part of a major renovation project in 2021. “It’s very rare to be able to put on a concert this large,” said Farris. “We have about 130 people performing, with 75 people in the choir and around 50 to 60 people in the orchestra. It’s something that we can only present repertoire of these pieces on a big scale, and are very powerful in combination; we don’t get the chance to do it often.”
Not only is a reunion such as Celebration and Ceremony important for the symphony and chorale, but it also provides an opportunity for BHS staff and students hosting the event at their theater. “While my primary focus as theater supervisor is ensuring our students have a working facility to learn and grow in, the importance of hosting community groups like the Bainbridge Chorale and Symphony cannot be overstated,” said BHS Theater manager, Kyle Ricks. “The BHS Theater serves as a bridge between the school district and the wider island community. When local groups perform here, it transforms the school into a venue where people can attend a variety of performances and experiences that might not be found locally. For the community, the theater offers a venue with modern technical capabilities that showcases the talent we have on Bainbridge. It’s a win-win.”
After Celebration and Ceremony, the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra and Bainbridge Chorale plan to continue the long tradition of working in partnership with one another. “It’s been something a lot of the members of both groups enjoy being a part of for a really long time. We hope the audience got a lot out of the performance, in a variety of ways and we can continue to do this.”
