Whatcom Chorale sings inspiring and heartfelt messages for our times and our future. Join us for an afternoon of outstanding contemporary composers voicing  hopefor worldwide harmony and shared resolve. Selections encompass traditions from our Native American heritage, African American spirituals, and twenty-first-century compositions. The Chorale is delighted to feature soloists Ibidunni Ojikutu, soprano; Kay Reilly, percussion; Rebekah Hood-Sava, cello; Martin Bray, flute; and Shiuchi Irie, saxophone.

Guest Artists

Ibidunni Ojikutu, Soprano

“My description cannot fit your tongue, because I have a certain way of being in this world, and I shall not be moved” - Maya Angelou

A sought after performer in the Pacific Northwest, Soprano Ibidunni Ojikutu is known for her versatility and excellence in both traditional and contemporary repertoire. Credits with Seattle Opera include 2nd Lady (The Magic Flute), Serena (Porgy and Bess), Neighbor 1/Ensemble (X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X).  World premiere credits at Seattle Opera include Mabel Lewis (Jubilee) and 2nd Wife/Market Woman (A Thousand Splendid Suns). Recent credits include Elle in Vox, Rising Waters Collective’s updated and immersive production of La voix humaine, Antron’s Mother (The Central Park Five), and featured soloist with The Bellingham Symphony Orchestra (Beethoven’s 9th Symphony), as well as with Portland Opera (Sparkling Through The Years: A Diamond Celebration)

An enthusiastic recitalist, Ms. Ojikutu’s recital projects with collaborative pianist, Rebecca Mañalac include “Songs From The American Experience”.  This multi-faceted program celebrates the music of American composers, featuring Samuel Barber, George Gershwin, Moses Hogan, Nkeiru Okoye, Rogers and Hammerstein, and more.

Other recent projects include co-founding chamber opera company, Rising Waters Collective. Rising Waters Collective is focused on highlighting voices, stories, artists, and composers of the Pacific Northwest. 

Rebekah Hood-Sava, Cello

Rebekah Hood-Sava has been playing cello so long that she might actually be part cello by now. With over 25 years of experience performing in the classical world in Texas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, and Washington, she’s played with a dozen orchestras and countless chamber groups. She even founded her own professional orchestra and string quartet.

She’s got more degrees in music than she knows what to do with—thanks, Hartt School (BM and MM) and Longy School (Performance Diploma)! In addition, she hasshared the stage with some notable names inthe classical game: Rebekah won the Miami String Quartet Competition in 2005 and performed the Schubert Double Cello Quintet with the MSQ. She also performed and had coachings and masterclasses with Terry King, Laura Bossert, Brian Ganz, Joseph Kalichstien, Pam Frank, Charles Castleman,Amit Peled, The Pacifica Quartet, and The Emerson Quartet.

When she’s not teaching Suzuki students in Bellingham or directing the North Sound Youth Symphony’s Philharmonia, Rebekah is busy composing her own music. Her albums, Emerge and Journey, are available on all music streaming platforms. More info at http://rebekahhoodsava.com/.

Emily Perry, Piano

Emily is a pianist, teacher, and composer based in Bellingham, Washington. She recently completed her Master’s in Collaborative Piano Performance under the instruction of Jeffrey Gilliam at Western Washington University, where she also earned her Bachelor’s in Piano Performance studying with Milica Jelača Jovanović.

Originally from Seattle, Emily began piano instruction at the age of four and was immersed in a wide range of musical arts through participation in jazz ensembles, orchestral youth symphonies, choirs, and church music programs. In high school, she studied classical piano under the tutelage of Dr. Jensina Oliver, participated in competitions, and played upright bass in both classical and jazz ensembles.

Emily has performed in numerous piano master classes with artists including Gloria Cheng, Daniel Hsu, William Chapman Nyaho, and Mikhail Voskresensky. She has twice appeared in the Sunday @ 3 Jansen Art Center Youth Concert Series and has been featured in several recitals and chamber performances at the WWU Performing Arts Center. For four consecutive years, she has served as the collaborative pianist for winning soloists in the WWU Concerto Competition, and in 2025 was selected as a concerto competition winner, performing the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Western Symphony Orchestra.

She enjoys an active performing life, playing solo repertoire for personal fulfillment and collaborating regularly in her professional work. Whether in the studio or on stage, Emily is driven by a genuine excitement for music and a commitment to sharing its joy with others.

Martin Bray, Flute

For 34 years in LA’s Torrance School District, Martin’s most demanding audiences were his kindergarten students. He began studying flute in elementary school, then privately with Louella Howard during high school and college at Pepperdine University. He played in the Pepperdine Community Orchestra through high school. Later at Pepperdine, he received a full music scholarship, playing in the orchestra while earning his BS in biology in 1975. He went on to a teaching degree at Cal State Long Beach. Over the years and now in retirement, he continues to perform with ensembles, most recently for the music program at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. In addition, he has performed frequently as an actor, singer, and dancer in cabaret shows and Bellingham Theatre Guild productions.

Kay Reilly, Percussion

Kay Reilly, percussionist, has played with Whatcom Chorale on many occasions in the past. She is the band director at Squalicum High School (also since 2006) and is a National Board-Certified Teacher. Before moving to Bellingham, Kay taught in Issaquah, WA and at the Hong Kong International School. Kay earned her Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance and Music Education from Northwestern University in Illinois, where she studied with Michael Burritt and James Ross, and won the school's annual concerto competition her senior year.  She earned her Master of Music in Percussion Performance from the Ohio State University, where she studied with Susan Powell and Joe Krygier, and won first place in the Women in Music Columbus competition. When not teaching or playing music, Kay loves playing yard-baseball and driveway-badminton with her son, walking on trails, working in her garden, cooking, and baking, and playing many a game of Skip-Bo or Phase 10. She is also a lifelong Star Trek fan, though she is year of the Earth Sheep and prefers to keep her feet on the ground.

Shiuchi Irie, Saxophone

Photo and biography coming soon