Welcome to Rockport Music's digital newsletter, making sure our most avid music lovers and supporters know what’s happening at Rockport Music.

Dear Friend,

As some of you may have heard, I recently announced my retirement from Rockport Music after 14 years. I am so honored to have been part of our organizational growth—from the five-week chamber music festival to the internationally recognized year-round concert presenter it is today. What I am most proud of and grateful for is the immensely dedicated and talented people with whom I have worked and who made it all possible. I leave knowing that the organization is in great hands with a committed Board of Trustees, a superb staff and our exceptional volunteers.

As one of the most picturesque concert halls in the country with unmatchable acoustics, I am excited to take you on a backstage tour of our beloved Shalin Liu Performance Center in the video below.

I will surely miss the behind-the-scenes pre-concert energy, greeting guests when they arrive and watching the sheer joy of our audiences as the music transcends them.

As I depart at the end of May, I look forward to the many great things yet to come at Rockport Music!

Sincerely,

President and CEO

Gloucester Daily Times article

We have a lot of great music in store for you this winter and spring. Here are just a few (of many) that I am really looking forward to. Hope to see you there!

FEB 9: Henrique Eisenmann & Paul Winter

MAR 22: Jazz at Lincoln Center

APR 14: Ying Quartet & Xavier Foley

Watch: Chopin Nocturne in F-sharp major. Op 15, No 2

Watch: Haydn String Quartet in D, Op 20 No 4, Mvt. 1

Not everybody can master their craft to the extent that it warrants knighthood. Sir Stephen Hough is not everybody.

The London-based pianist, composer and writer is described by The Economist as being “elegantly at ease with himself ,” juxtaposing “sly comedy” with “the high seriousness of his art” to keep the audience just as comfortable. Still, you might find yourself not wanting to simply sit back and relax when Hough is playing. The MacArthur Fellowship recipient’s rich compositions and unmatched dexterity are enough to drop your jaw and draw you to the edge of your seat.

On March 9, Hough will be joined at the Shalin Liu Performance Center by the internationally acclaimed Castalian String Quartet, which has gained renown for interpretations “full of poetry, joy and sorrow, realized to such perfection” (The Observer). They have recently been announced as the first Hans Keller String Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Oxford and are the 2019 Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist of the Year.

Hough and the Quartet will share with Rockport a program of Haydn’s Quartet in A major, Op. 20, No. 6, Hough’s String Quartet No. 1 “Les Six Rencontres” and Brahms’s Quintet in F minor, Op. 34. The concluding Brahms quintet was originally composed for a string quintet before being transcribed as a piano duet. Brahms found neither version to be capable of conveying the grandeur of the work, however, prompting him to fulfill his dramatic vision with this masterwork of the piano-string quartet repertoire.

Learn More

SAVE THE DATES

43^rd Annual
ROCKPORT CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

June 7 - July 7
July 16; August 25

On-Sale Dates:
Melody Line: Mar 13
Chord: Mar 28

Subscriptions: Apr 2
Indiv. Tickets: Apr 16

JUST ADDED

Margaret Glaspy
Thursday, May 9

John Hiatt
Sunday, May 26

Tinsley Ellis
Saturday, June 1

NEWS & UPDATES

ICONIC JAZZ LEGACIES

We're pleased to announce that our jazz series curated by Grammy-winning trumpeter Bijon Watson will continue in 2024! Next up is April's Celebrating Sonny Rollins & Sonny Stitt!

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Artistic Director Barry Shiffman has been hard at work curating a spectacular Rockport Chamber Music Festival. He's gathered numerous renowned musicians from around world, some returning to Rockport, others making their long-awaited debut. Hear what Barry can't wait to bring to you this summer.

RECENT STAFF ARRIVALS

Midori Williams
Director of Finance

Dan King
Associate Technical Operations Director

Julian Mendoza
Marketing Associate

SAVE THE DATE

Sunday, July 28, 2024

Experience the musical event of the season at Rockport Music's Summer Gala! Enjoy cocktails and a gourmet dinner catered by Vinwood Caterers with a beautiful ocean view at the Atlantic Ocean Room, followed by an extraordinary performance by world-renowned musicians, violinist Joshua Bell and pianist Jeremy Denk at the Shalin Liu Performance Center.

Gala details and tickets

FROM OUR DEVELOPMENT CHAIR

I am pleased to report that, thanks to the support from our many patrons and friends, as of calendar year end, our Annual Fund is getting closer to our goal. With your continued generosity, we have less than 10% of the $1,050,000 target to raise—that's just $85,000. If you haven’t made your gift yet this year, there is still time to participate before our fiscal year closes on March 31. Simply click here to make a gift online. As a benefactor, your gift of any size—large or modest—will directly impact Rockport Music’s future success and financial stability.

The Rockport Music Annual Fund is the cornerstone of the organization’s fundraising program providing over 50% of our operating budget. This important annual revenue enables us to honor our commitment to musical excellence, ensures that great music is accessible to all and enables us to fulfill our mission of educating and delighting children of all ages and backgrounds with the gift of making and appreciating music across genres.

I am honored to be chairing Rockport Music’s Development Committee this year. We have a very dedicated group of volunteers who advise us and help us to ensure that our fundraising efforts are effective. Please join me in thanking each of them for their dedication to Rockport Music: Dianne Anderson, Lois Brynes, Robert Cassady, Suzanne Cervo, Sandra Lawrence, Jeannie McIntyre, Pamela Morss, Ruth Shane, Kathy Skrabut, Barbara Sparks, Laura Stevens, Naomi Stonberg, Linda Walker and Margaret Ziering.

A passionate supporter of music and a strong believer in Rockport Music's mission, I thank you for your generosity. Best wishes for a happy and healthy year to come!

Winand van Eeghen

Chair, Development Committee

Give Now

We are incredibly grateful to announce that we surpassed this year’s Annual Fund Matching Gift Challenge by raising over $85,000!

In the fall, two anonymous donors committed $50,000 to encourage increased giving, resulting in 132 donors making a first-time or increased gift to Rockport Music. The Challenge was a resounding success! Many thanks to our loyal donors.

VISITING ARTISTS

FALL 2023

Balla Kouyáte & Mike Block
Backtrack Vocals
Windsync
Hawktail + Väsen
Balourdet Quartet*
Ten Tumbao
*who worked with the Rockport Orchestra Summit, a collaboration with Rockport Schools

WHAT STUDENTS LOVED

"Getting a chance to work with professionals in the industry and see what they do."

"Learning about and hearing different music from cultures that I'm not exposed to everyday."

"Understanding the importance of musical cues and communication withing a musical group."

WOMH
Behind the Scenes

IN THE SCHOOLS

Rockport Music's in-school programs this year are booming! We went to 32 classrooms in eight schools in the Rockport, Gloucester, Manchester Essex, Beverly and Lawrence districts, reaching more than 1,650 students. It's safe to say that, following the pandemic, our programs are in full swing—and then some! Visiting artists ranged from an a cappella group and string quartets to African drummers and Swedish traditional folk musicians. Students performed side-by-side with them in three community concerts at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, showcasing the new material they learned with the artists.

This fall also marked the beginning of an exciting new project--Writing Our Musical History (WOMH). Students in Rockport, Gloucester, Manchester Essex Regional and Beverly high schools are working with teaching artist Alexandra Grace to create a song about a place in their town that is meaningful to them. They're learning in-depth details about the song writing process from start to finish, and are writing all of the lyrics and harmonies of their song. Go behind the scenes in our short video, and please join us at the grand finale concert on May 14!

AT THE HALL

At the Shalin Liu Performance Center, 350 students in grades 2-5 from Rockport Elementary, Beeman Elementary, E. Vets Elementary and Winthrop School (Ipswich) experienced New England Conservatory's Touring Children’s Opera’s Little Red Riding Hood. Our new talk series, Beyond the Music, held its first session with educator and cellist Michal Shein sharing her journey through creating impact through music, highlighting her work with El Sistema-inspired programs and how she started Celissimo, an online summer festival for Spanish-speaking cellists. Plus, the Larry & Joe duo, blending bluegrass and Venezuelan music, held a demonstration and talk for a group in November.

UPCOMING CONCERTS & PROGRAMS

FEB 3: Rasa Quartet

FEB 15: Cape Ann Jazz Workshop Showcase w/Alexa Tarantino

MAR 10: Boston City Singers

NEXT TALK

Saturday, March 2 :: 11 AM
Maria Finkelmeier
Entrepreneurship and creating public art

Join Maria Finkelmeier, percussionist, composer, professor and new media artist, in an interactive conversation about creating and directing large-scale multimedia events and installations in public spaces.

A “one-woman dynamo” - The Boston Globe
Boston’s Best 2018 “Creative Catalyst” - Improper Bostonian

FALL IN-SCHOOL PHOTO REFLECTIONS

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