For so many of us, the holidays are a time for homecoming. We honor that tradition this year with a special edition of BMC Connects!, our video series that welcomes past BMC award winners to share their current musical experiences. Of the scores of accomplished BMC awardees across America, none have answered the “call from home” more often or more generously than celebrated soprano, Lindsey Nakatani. 
Only twelve years ago, Lindsey was a senior at Squalicum High School and student of BMC member Susan Johnson, when she won BMC’s top vocal award. With this solid foundation, she progressed through her degrees at Juilliard in 2013 and Mannes School of Music in 2015, and then launched her performance career.
Her range of operatic, theatrical and concert performances has contributed to Lindsey’s growing reputation in Seattle and nationally. “Natakani has a beautiful voice, so perfect and so strong, the audience couldn’t applaud enough,” says Don Doman, in his review of Seattle G&S production of Princess Ida in July 2019. But she keeps coming home, too! In 2012, she returned for a recital with the Bellingham Festival of Music. She then brought the magic of Mozart to BMC’s Centennial Concert in 2015. Most recently, she joined the Whatcom Chorale as soloist for a Mendelssohn masterwork in 2019.
That is why we were thrilled when she agreed to open our 2020-2021 concert season — and then dismayed to have to postpone her engagement. But Lindsey shares our optimism that her concert will be rescheduled. In her recent words, “Please know that I am really looking forward to performing for the Bellingham Music Club’s audiences whenever the opportunity becomes a reality… I will await that time with great anticipation!”
Lindsey also shared news that should make us all proud. “I had the distinct honor and pleasure of winning first place in the Seattle Opera Guild Singer’s Development Awards Competition on Saturday August 8th, 2020,” she told us. “I was thrilled to be competing and even more thrilled to earn the top prize!”
She shared this link to her audition, performing Je veux vivre from Gounod’s opera, Roméo et Juliette, a work characterized as “a stunning piece of vocal gymnastics.” You can experience Lindsey’s triumphant audition segment here: https://youtu.be/i5IqtXSLLEA?t=8640. (For an exclusive backstage look at the entire 2½-hour Seattle Opera Guild audition recording: https://youtu.be/i5IqtXSLLEA)
If year-end philanthropy is part of your holiday tradition, the Bellingham Music Club invites you to increase your investment in our student award programs this year. With you, we can confidently meet the challenges of assisting local music students. On behalf of the next generation of remarkable musicians like Lindsey Nakatani, we thank you.
From our Bellingham Music Club family to yours, we wish you a joyous, comforting, safe and healthy holiday, and a hopeful New Year!