by Nina Doggett, Rockport Music Board of Trustees Chair
Cultivating a deep well of goodwill over time has been the singular strength of Rockport Music. For almost 40 years, our Cape Ann community of generous supporters has shared a passion for live musical performance, beginning with chamber music performances in the First Congregational Church of Rockport.
In the last 10 years, Rockport Music has grown and flourished in presenting music of many genres to enthusiastic audiences from Cape Ann and beyond. The extraordinary generosity of our Board, Emeriti and Council members has sustained our operations through multiple financial challenges, and our current global crisis has presented us with unprecedented operational realities that require bold action. As a result, our Board and staff leadership has undertaken an ambitious initiative to build a special Board Reserve Fund to address both near term financial needs and long term financial sustainability.
Nina Doggett, Rockport Music Board of Trustees Chair
It is because of a shared conviction in the distinctive power of music, especially our cherished chamber music festival, that we are committed to supporting our staff in order to sustain our mission and operations during this time. The support we can provide in the near term as an investment for the future underscores our basic value as an organization. This initiative reflects the best of Rockport Music; a belief in our unique capacity to provide transformative musical experiences to all.
As this current challenge evolves, we hope this special Board initiative and its intention will inspire others to join us in this effort. Taking a “leap of faith” is definitely in our Rockport Music DNA—from the early years of launching the Rockport Chamber Music Festival to the building of the Shalin Liu Performance Center—and will enable us to bring music to our community for generations to come.
Top Photo: Shalin Liu Performance Center, credit Robert Benson Photography
