Guest Artists
BMC is grateful to the many professional artists who have supported the Club and our aspiring student musicians. In addition to introducing different musical genres to our members, our guest artists also challenge and broaden our knowledge of art and what that can mean to each of us.
2023-2024 Guests
October 2023 “Spooky Fall Favorites”
Angela Kraft Cross, Organist
Our 2023-2024 Season Opening Meeting featured the extremely talented and renowned Angela Kraft Cross at the organ. Dressed for the Season in a long black cape, she performed a program of “Spooky Fall Favorites”, with music by Bach, Widor, Vierne and Dupré. It was a glorious performance and a truly memorable treat!
For more information about Angela, please visit her website by clicking here.
2020-2021 Guests (virtual performances)
October 2020 Young Chamber Musicians
We are honored to have access to a concert by the YCM and gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Susan Bates, the Founder of YCM. Susan has kindly provided a short introduction which is followed by the YCM performance. Please click here.
November 2020 Kimberly Marie Olivier, SF Ballet
November welcomes Kimberly Olivier once again, this time dancing an original and uplifting choreography that she and her dance partner, Luke Willis, created in the midst of the pandemic and mandated quarantine that has impacted so many of our lives.
December 2020 Ben Simon, Conductor, Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra (Summer Music Workshop)
BMC’s good friend, Ben Simon, who is also the conductor of the SF Chamber Orchestra, treated us to a couple of performances from the children who participated in the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra’s Summer Music Workshop, typically a 2 week intensive study/performance camp. If you are interested in learning more about this wonderful summer camp, see the PACO website.
January 2021 - Larry Dunlap Returns!
Long time friend and BMC supporter presents 3 amazing pieces, one which Larry composed, another featuring the Emmy-nominated Kenny Washington and the last with the Larry Dunlap Quartet. Click here to find out more and to hear these wonderful performances.
February 2021 - Valentine’s Day Serenade by Clairdee and Ken French
April 2021 - Nathan Chan & Friends
Nathan Chan, Assistant Principal Cello, Seattle Symphony, and one of BMC's former honored guests, has created a special program just for BMC members. This time, he has recruited a few of his friends & esteemed colleagues - Karen Hutchinson (godmother and BMC Co-President), Eru Matsumoto, Christine Lee and Ken Kubota, to join in the program.
To listen to this program, please click here.
Kick Back with the Aurio Trio
A series of “backyard performaces” were specially created for BMC by the Aurio Trio. Listen to all 5 performances which were shared with members from November 2020 through April 2021. A HUGE thank you to Karen Hutchinson, Rufus Olivier, Jr. and Zachariah Spellman.
To listen to their performances, please click here.
2019-2020 Guest Artists Performances at BMC Member Meetings
For complete information on the 2019-2020 Season Guest Performers, please click here.
BMC Honored Guest, Susan Bates
Season Launch - October 13, 2019
As is customary, the BMC 2019-2020 Season was launched with a special luncheon where the Club honored Susan Bates, Founder of the Young Chamber Musicians. For more details of this wonderful celebration click here.
November 11, 2019
BMC Seasonal Opener Member meeting was held at The Congregational Church of San Mateo. Once again, our members enjoyed wonderful program by gifted organisit Angela Kraft Cross. This performance was made all the more special by the performance of Angela’s son, Chase Olson. Please click here for their performance program and their bios.
December 9, 2019
BMC was graced with an extraordinary and joyous holiday performance by Hope Briggs, soprano, and Carl Blake, piano. For full program details and bios please click here.
January 13, 2020
We launched the new year and commemorated the Chinese New Year of the Rat with a wonderful performance (and demonstration) by members of Melody of China, Yanqin Zhao, Artistic Director and co-Founder, and Gangqin Zhao, Director of the Chinese Arts & Music Center in SF. Among the Chinese instruments played were the yangqin (hammered dulcimer), the guzheng (zither), erhu (fiddle) and a number of Chinese wind, string and percussion instruments.
Melody of China - yanqin and guzheng demonstration
Febraury 10, 2020
BMC members were treated to a demonstration and performance by Mark Almond (French Horn), Zachariah Spellman (Tuba) and BMC’s Co-President, Karen Hutchinson (Piano). We all learned that one of the best ways to rid an instrument of “condensation” (not “spit”) was simply to turn the intrument upside down. (No new-fangled technology needed.) For details of this very enjoyable performance, please click here.
For more information about our upcoming guest artists please click here.
2018 -2019 Season Guest Performers
November 12, 2018
The International Cafe De Musica
Ron Sfarzo, keyboardist/accordianist and Hugo Wainzinger, guitarist presenting a program with at taste of European charm … (see program and bios here)
December 10, 2018
Marnie Breckenridge
A Holiday Program
American soprano Marnie Breckenridge captivated the BMC audience with her exquisite voice and charming personality, serenading us with a selection of holiday favorites. Ms. Breckenridge has sung with the San Francisco Opera, the English National Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and the list goes on … For a more complete biography of Ms Breckenridge, please click here.
January 14, 2019
Kimberly Olivier and Joshua Jack Price
A Ballet Demonstration and Performance
Once again, BMC members were honored with a ballet demonstration by San Francisco Ballet Corps de Ballet member, Kimberly Olivier. This time, Kimberly brought her colleague, Joshua Price, an apprentice with the San Francisco Ballet, to help expand our understanding of the art, skill, rigors and performance of ballet. For further information about Kimberly and Joshua, please click here.
February 11, 2019
Aurio Trio - Karen Hutchinson, Rufus Olivier, Jr. & Zachariah Spellman
With a special Beatles Medley arrangement by Don Howe
A Valentine’s Day Serenade
For program details click here.
March 11, 2019
BMC members were treated to a special performance and lecture about the origins of the bagpipes by guest Lynne Miller.
Note the 100 year old Sgian Dubh Scottish Dirk Knife Dagger in Lynne’s sock.
April 8, 2019
Dr. Angela Kraft Cross
Renown organist, Dr. Kraft Cross, once again graced us with her performance at the beautiful Congregational Church in San Mateo, CA. It was a wonderful performance dotted with a bit of history about both the pieces she played and a number of exquisite organs around the world that she has been invited to play. For more details click here.
New BMC Officers were installed at the April Meeting held inside the Congregational Church. Above, Parliamentarian Louise Nelson announces these new officers as Karen Hutchinson and Beth Bhatnagar, Re-elected Co-Presidents, look on.
2017 - 2018 Season Guest Performers
November 2017
Rufus Oliver accompanied by Karen Hurchinson, Artistic Director BMC
Rufus Olivier
Our first guest artist of the 2017-2018 season, Mr. Olivier did not disappoint!
For information on his wonderful performance, click here.
December 2017
Edie Delegans Voice Studio
BMC Members enjoyed a Holiday performance by students from the Edie Delegans Voice Studio.
January 2018
The Topaz Quartet
In January 2018, BMC welcomed the student-formed Topaz Quartet as its guest artists. Members of the Quartet (L-R) Chelsea Park (founder), Seyon Kim, Young Jin Lee, and Hyewon Ahn.
For more information on the Quartet performance and on the background of each member, click here.
February 2018
Valentine's Day Jazz with Larry Dunlap and Bobbe Norris
Romance was in the air as the husband and wife duo of Larry Dunlap and Bobbe Norris serenaded us with songs of love. For more info on Larry Dunlap and his fellow musicians click here.
March 2018
A very special ballet performance and demonstration were enjoyed by the BMC members when Kimberly Marie Olivier spent an afternoon away from the San Francisco Ballet to grace our stage. Her talent and charm were so appreciated. For Ms. Olivier's bio click here.
April 2018
Dr. Angela Kraft Cross
The BMC members were treated to an organ recital by Dr. Cross performing at the beautiful Congregational Church in San Mateo. For a short bio on Dr. Cross and her performance program click here.
May 2018
Clairdee and Ken French
The wife and husband team of Clairdee and Ken French closed out the BMC season again. We never tire of listening to the soulful interpretations by this amazing song stylist and her favorite accompanist. We are so grateful to Clairdee and Mr. French for being such great supporters of BMC.
For more information on Clairdee and Mr. French click here.