BARRY SHIFFMAN, artistic director

CONTACT: Karen Herlitz, Director of Marketing [email protected] Phone: 978-546-7391, Ext. 110 DATE: April 30, 2021

HOLD ANNOUNCE UNTIL MAY 12, 2021

Celebrating 40 Years of Music—the Return of Music brings the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Rockport Festival and more

Rockport Music is thrilled to announce that this summer patrons can once again enjoy live music in person in the Shalin Liu Performance Center. With the milestone 40th Anniversary of the Rockport Chamber Music Festival spanning over five weekends spanning from July 9-September 19, 2021, Rockport Music leadership is excited and appreciative to be able to bring back music to . In addition to the chamber music festival, Rockport Music will host the Rockport Jazz Festival, the Rockport Celtic Festival, and as well as additional concerts starting in July.

From Artistic Director Barry Shiffman, “This Festival brings a summer of hope and healing with five glorious weekends of concerts. Join us for a star-studded line up of artists as we celebrate our 40th season and look confidently to our future.”

A full schedule of artists and programs are listed below. This year’s Festival brings several outstanding artists, including seven of the world’s greatest chamber ensembles, several winners from recent international competitions, and an impressive line-up of pianists. Returning artists include the Brentano Quartet, Dover Quartet, clarinetist Anthony McGill, as well as debuts appearances from Miro Quartet, pianist Jan Lisieki, violinist Tessa Lark and pianist Simone DInnerstein. Additionally, this year’s Festival also brings the New premiere of Kevin Puts’ new work Home, which was inspired by the refugee crisis in Europe.

The Rockport Jazz Festival, held July 29-August 1, 2021, brings legendary organist Joey DeFrancesco, pianist Christian Sands, saxophonist/singer Grace Kelly, and guitarist/singer John PIzzarelli. The summer also brings the Rockport Celtic Festival on August 20-22 and several other concerts like singer Paula Cole, Celtic violinist Mairead Nesbitt, singer- songwriter Peter Cincotti and vocalist Quiana Lynell, starting in July.

The safety and well-being of our patrons, volunteers, artists and staff is of the upmost importance to Rockport Music; therefore, all artists will perform two one-hour concerts (no intermission) within one day at the Shalin Liu Performance Center. Patrons will once again enjoy live music at the stunning Shalin Liu Performance Center with the appropriate safety protocols, one hour performances with no intermission, enhanced cleaning protocols, and clean air filtration. All safety protocols, in accordance with regulations, will be maintained for in-person.

For the first time, Rockport Music will offer virtual viewing tickets of the summer concert season for people to enjoy from home (available on demand 48 hours after live performance). Enjoy this year’s summer concerts in person at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, virtually, or both—the choice is yours. Celebrate the return of in-person music this summer with a special 40th Anniversary of the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, as well as the Jazz Festival, and much more!

All concerts are held at the Shalin Liu Performance Center and events will be available online by May 12th and tickets will be available for purchase in late May. A full schedule of artists and programs are listed below.

Website: rockportmusic.org | Box Office: 978.546.7391 (Box Office hours are currently limited to Tuesday-Thursday via phone and email, more details to be announced)

40th Anniversary ROCKPORT CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL The Return of Music

Friday, July 9 :: 5 & 8 PM Opening Night DOVER STRING QUARTET & GEORGE LI, Now among the top echelon of string quartets, the globally-acclaimed Dover Quartet returns to Rockport for a stirring program that includes Mendelssohn’s String Quartet, No. 12. Dynamic pianist George Li joins them for Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F minor. Tickets: $69, $55 | Virtual: $20

PROGRAM MENDELSSOHN: String Quartet, Op. 12 BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34

Saturday, July 10 :: 5 & 8 PM JAN LISIEKI, piano The spectacularly-talented pianist, winner of both the Gramophone Young Artist Award and the Leonard Bernstein Award, makes his Rockport debut with a powerhouse program that includes Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Chopin. Tickets: $59, $49 | Virtual: $20

PROGRAM Beethoven: Rondo a capriccio Mendelssohn: Rondo capriccioso Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words, Op. 67 Chopin: Nocturnes, Op. 62 Chopin: Ballade, No. 1 Mendelssohn: Variations Sérieuses

Sunday, July 11 :: 5 & 8 PM BARRY SHIFFMAN, violin & viola With TANYA GABRIELIAN, piano Internationally acclaimed violinist/violist and Festival Artistic Director Barry Shiffman joins with the dynamic pianist Tanya Gabrielian for a program of works by Bach, Brahms and Florence Price. Tickets: $49, $39 | Virtual: $20

PROGRAM BACH: Chaconne from Partita No. 2 BRAHMS: Sonata No. 1 in F minor FLORENCE PRICE: Fantasie No 1 in G minor for violin and piano FLORENCE PRICE: Fantasie Nègre No. 1 in E minor for piano FLORENCE PRICE: Adoration for violin and piano

[MG1][KH2]Friday, August 6 :: 5 & 8 PM ERIC LU, piano A recent recipient of a coveted Avery Fisher Grant, pianist Eric Lu performs Chopin’s Nocturne in C minor and one of Schubert’s last piano sonatas. A Massachusetts native, Lu became the first American to win the Leeds International Piano Competition since Murray Perahia in 1972. Tickets: $39, $29 | Virtual: $15

PROGRAM CHOPIN: Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48/1 SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata, D. 959

Saturday, August 7 :: 5 & 8 PM VIANO STRING QUARTET Winner of the Banff International Competitions (2019) and recently appointed as Ensemble-in-Residence at the Curtis Institute, the Viano String Quartet is primed to take its place among today’s most sought after quartets. Praised for their “huge range of dynamics, massive sound and spontaneity” (American Record Guide), the Quartet makes its Rockport debut performing works by Dvorák, Caroline Shaw and Florence Price. Tickets: $39, $29 | Virtual: $15

PROGRAM JESSIE MONTGOMERY: Strum (2006) CAROLINE SHAW: The Evergreen (2020) FLORENCE PRICE: Andante Moderato from String Quartet in G major (1929) DVORAK: String Quartet No. 13 in G major, Op. 106

Sunday, August 8 :: 5 & 8 PM TESSA LARK, violin Violinist Tessa Lark is one of the most captivating artistic voices of our time, consistently praised by critics and audiences for her astounding range of sounds, technical agility and musical elegance. A Grammy-nominated violinist and Avery Fisher grant recipient, she performs works of Schubert, Fritz Kreisler, Bartök, Ysaÿe and more. Tickets: $39, $29 | Virtual: $15

PROGRAM BARTOK: Romanian Folk Dances YSAYE: Solo Sonata No. 4 in E minor, Op. 27 SCHUBERT: Fantasy SCHUBERT/KREISLER: Ballet Dance 2 from Rosamunde DVORAK/KREISLER: Songs My Mother Taught Me KREISLER: Praeludium & Allegro

Friday, August 13 :: 5 & 8 PM ZLATOMIR FUNG, cello Dina Vainshtein, piano The first American in four decades and youngest musician ever to win First Prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition Cello Division, Zlatomir Fung is poised to become one of the great cellists of our time. He performs an opera-themed program of well-known works by Verdi, Rossini, Tchaikovsky and others. Tickets: $39, $29 | Virtual: $15

PROGRAM VERDI/PIATTI (arr): Rimembranze del "Trovatore" di Verdi ROSSINI/HAINL (arr): Fantasie on themes from William Tell TCHAIKOVSKY/BUKINIK (arr): "Lensky's Aria" from Eugene Onegin DONIZETTI/SERVIAS (arr): La Fille du Regiment, Op. 16

Saturday, August 14 :: 5 & 8 PM MIRÓ QUARTET & ANTHONY MCGILL, Celebrated Miró Quartet, first prize winners at both the Banff and Naumburg competitions, performs the New England premiere of Kevin Puts’ “Home,” a piece co-commissioned by Rockport Music. New York Philharmonic principal clarinetist Anthony McGill joins them for a performance of Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in B minor. Tickets: $59, $49 | Virtual: $20

PROGRAM KEVIN PUTS: Home (co-commissioned by Rockport Music) New England premiere BRAHMS: Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op 115

Sunday, August 15 :: 5 & 8 PM JUNCTION TRIO The widely acclaimed trinity of violinist Stefan Jackiw, pianist Conrad Tao and cellist Jay Campbell, makes a return after the Trio’s 2019 Festival performance was chosen by The Globe as the year’s best chamber music concert.

PROGRAM RAVEL: Piano Trio in A minor CONRAD TAO: Piano Trio No. 2

Tickets: $49, $39 | Virtual: $20

Thursday, September 9 :: 5 & 8 PM JAMES EHNES, violin & STEWART GOODYEAR, piano Violinist James Ehnes, winner of the 2017 Royal Philharmonic Society Award as well as Gramophone, Grammy and JUNO Awards, pairs up with pianist Stewart Goodyear, called “one of the best pianists of his generation” (Philadelphia Inquirer) to perform an all-Beethoven program including the “Spring” and “Kreutzer” violin sonatas. Tickets: $69, $55 | Virtual: $20

PROGRAM BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 5, Op. 24 in C major “Spring” BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 9, Op. 47 in A major “Kreutzer”

Friday, September 10 :: 5 & 8 PM ST. LAWRENCE STRING QUARTET With BARRY SHIFFMAN, viola The St. Lawrence String Quartet is renowned for the intensity of its performances, its breadth of repertoire and its commitment to concert experiences that are both intellectually exciting and emotionally alive. The Quartet is hailed as having “a rare gift for combining interpretive spontaneity and fierce musical commitment” (The NY Times). The Quartet joins with RCMF Artistic Director Barry Shiffman, and former St. Lawrence Quartet member, for Osvaldo Golijov’s K’va Karat. Tickets: $59, $49 | Virtual: $20

PROGRAM HAYDN: String Quartet, Op. 76, No. 4 “The Sunrise” GOLIJOV: K’va Karat BEETHOVEN: String Quartet, Op. 132, No. 15 in A Minor, Mvmt III (Heiliger Dankgesang)

Sunday, September 12 :: 5 & 8 PM VIVALDI’S FOUR SEASONS Violin Soloists: Stella Chen | Nikki Chooi | Julian Rhee | Denis Kim Max Levinson, harpsichord | Barry Shiffman, viola | Jonathan Dormond, cello | TBD, bass Experience Vivaldi’s iconic masterpiece The Four Seasons with solos from rising violin stars and competition winners. The program opens with Chevalier de St. Georges’ beautiful Quartet Concertante No. 5. Tickets: $59, $49 | Virtual: $20

PROGRAM J. B. CHEVALIER DE ST. GEORGES: Quartet Concertante No. 5 VIVALDI: Four Seasons

Friday, September 17 :: 5 & 8 PM HAN-SETZER-FINCKEL TRIO Wu Han, piano | Philip Setzer, violin | David Finckel, cello

Featuring the dynamic duo David Finckel and Wu Han with violinist Philip Setzer (Finckel’s long-time colleague in the legendary Emerson String Quartet), the trio performs a dazzling program of Beethoven and Dvorak.

PROGRAM BEETHOVEN: Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 70 "Ghost" DVORAK: Piano Trio Op. 90 "Dumky"

Tickets: $86, $68 | Virtual: $25

Saturday, September 18 :: 5 & 8 PM BRENTANO STRING QUARTET Winners of both the Cleveland Quartet and Naumburg Chamber Music Awards and Yale’s Resident String Quartet since 2014, the celebrated Brentano Quartet performs Bach, Haydn, George Walker and Beethoven. Tickets: $69, $55 | Virtual: $20

PROGRAM BACH: Prelude in F minor, BWV 881, arranged for quartet by Mark Steinberg HAYDN: String Quartet, Op. 20, No. 5 GEORGE WALKER: Molto adagio from String Quartet No. 1 BEETHOVEN: String Quartet, Op. 135

Sunday, September 19 :: 5 & 8 PM SIMONE DINNERSTEIN, piano Hailed by The Washington Post as “an artist of strikingly original ideas and irrefutable integrity,” Simone Dinnerstein’s recordings have all topped the Billboard Classical charts. In her Rockport debut, she performs a program of works by Schumann, Couperin, Satie and Glass.

PROGRAM COUPERIN: Les Barricade Mystérieuses SCHUMANN: Arabesque, Op. 18 GLASS: Mad Rush COUPERIN: Tic Toc Choc SATIE: Gnossienne No. 3 SCHUMANN: Kreisleriana, Op. 16

Tickets: $59, $49 | Virtual: $20

SUMMER JAZZ, FOLK, POP ALL PERFORMANCES: 2 concerts/day | Social-distanced seating | No intermission

Note: Rockport Music is aware that singers are currently prohibited for indoor venues. Concerts involving singers will only be held if state regulations adjust to allow for singing indoors. If regulations have not changed in time to hold the performance, the concert will be rescheduled and ticketholders will receive refunds/exchanges.

Saturday, July 17 :: 5 & 8 PM MAIREAD NESBITT, Celtic violin For more than a decade, Grammy and Emmy-nominated violinist Máiréad Nesbitt has enchanted millions of fans around the world as a founding member of the globetrotting music phenomenon Celtic Woman. She brings her jaw-dropping playing and commanding theatrical performance presence to Rockport for the first time! Tickets: $42, $36 | Virtual: $15

Sunday, July 18 :: 5 & 8 PM PETER CINCOTTI, singer-songwriter Merging hefty chops with pop and rock, Peter Cincotti has been taking the world by storm, building his audience through his fiery, ivory-pounding style and smooth throwback crooning vocals. His debut Rockport performance showcases the strength of his most recent record Long Way From Home. Tickets: $39, $29 | Virtual: $15

Thursday, August 5 :: 5 & 8 PM SKINNY The pride of the vibrant and fertile jazz scene, Tuba Skinny makes its Rockport debut touring on the heels of their acclaimed record Some Kinda Shake. One of New Orleans’ greatest musical ambassadors for over ten years, they are known for their spirited take on Depression-era , spirituals, and traditional jazz. Tickets: $29, $24 | Virtual: $15

Friday, August 27 :: 5 & 8 PM PAULA COLE Hometown favorite Paula Cole debuts her latest album American Quilt, showcasing her ability to meld a variety of genres including jazz, folk and country. Enjoy her take on classics like “Black Mountain Blues” and “What a Wonderful World,” as well a new original, “Hidden in Plain Sight.” Tickets: $59, $49 | Virtual: $20[MG3]

Saturday, August 28 :: 5 & 8 PM QUIANA LYNELL A stunningly talented young vocalist out of New Orleans who won the 2017 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, Quiana Lynell fuses her gospel roots with jazz chops and bluesy swagger. She makes her first appearance in Rockport touring behind her acclaimed debut record A Little Love. Tickets: $29, $24 | Virtual: $15

10th Annual ROCKPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL July 29-August 1, 2021 This year’s stellar Festival lineup includes saxophonist-singer Grace Kelly, dynamic Hammond B3 legend Joey DeFrancesco and the crooning guitarist John Pizzarelli. No matter your style, we’ve got you covered.

Thursday, July 29 :: 5 & 8 PM JOEY DEFRANCESCO Known for almost singlehandedly bringing the Hammond B3 back to prominence in late 70s and 80s, the acclaimed organ giant makes his Rockport debut. Defrancesco is a multiple-Grammy nominee who has recorded and shared stages with the likes of Miles Davis, Van Morrison and Pharoah Sanders among many others. Enjoy tunes from his most recent record, the highly lauded In the Key of the Universe (2019). Tickets: $59, $49 | Virtual: $20

Friday, July 30 :: 5 & 8 PM CHRISTIAN SANDS Five-time Grammy nominee and Steinway artist, Christian Sands is an emerging jazz force whose abundant piano technique and artistic conception is bringing a fresh look to the entire language of jazz. He has toured the world as part of Christian McBride’s trio and was named one of the future rising jazz stars in Jet Magazine and Vanity Fair. With his latest album, Be Water, Sands takes inspiration from water’s tranquility and power--echoing its fluidity and malleability.

Saturday, July 31 :: 5 & 8 PM GRACE KELLY A saxophonist, songwriter, composer and band leader, Grace Kelly has rocked the jazz world with sold-out concerts, 13 acclaimed albums and a resume that includes performing at the Hollywood Bowl and a member of the house band for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”—all before reaching her mid-twenties. Tickets: $59, $49 | Virtual: $20

Sunday, August 1 :: 5 & 8 PM JOHN PIZZARELLI World-renowned guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli has been hailed by The Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” Crossing boundaries, he has expanded his repertoire by including the music of Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Antônio Carlos Jobim and The Beatles. Tickets: $72, $60 | Virtual: $20

2nd Annual ROCKPORT CELTIC FESTIVAL Exploring Celtic Roots & Branches Brian O’Donovan & Maeve Gilchrist, co-artistic directors August 20-22, 2021 For over three decades, Brian O’Donovan has been hosting A Celtic Sojourn on WGBH, a program celebrating traditional and contemporary Celtic music from around the world. He is also known for his beloved A Christmas Celtic Sojourn show, as well as many other presentations around New England. In partnership with Rockport Music and working in close collaboration with fellow Artistic Director, Edinburgh-born harpist/composer Maeve Gilchrist, Brian is proud to present the second annual Rockport Celtic Festival, Exploring Celtic Roots and Branches, featuring a wide and extraordinary variety of musicians, dancers and storytellers.

Friday, August 20 :: 4:30 & 8 PM Saturday, August 21 :: 4:30 & 8 PM Sunday, August 22 :: 4:30 & 8 PM More Details to come

Website: rockportmusic.org | Box Office: 978.546.7391 (Box Office hours are currently limited to Tuesday-Thursday for phone & email, more details to be announced)

Ticket Sales Dates Late May: details will be available at a later date

Rockport Music is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

ABOUT ROCKPORT MUSIC Founded in 1981 as the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Rockport Music presents exceptional concerts and cultural events in the “stunning acoustics and dramatic setting” (Boston Globe) of the Shalin Liu Performance Center. Best known for its summer chamber music festival featuring some of the world’s finest ensembles and soloists, Rockport Music has expanded its offerings to include year-round presentations of jazz, folk, pop, and world music, high-definition broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera and National Theatre (), and special film presentations. Education and community outreach activities serve nearly 10,000 students and adults throughout Cape Ann and the North Shore annually.