Shalin Liu Performance Center
A Home for Rockport Music and the Rockport Chamber Music Festival
Since opening its doors in 2010, the Shalin Liu Performance Center has become a cultural jewel of Cape Ann and the greater Boston area. With spectacular ocean views and world-class acoustics, this extraordinary venue attracts renowned performers and audiences alike.
Designed to showcase chamber music, the performance center is home to Rockport Music’s signature presentation, the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, featuring over 20 concerts, pre-concert lectures and free family events. Beyond classical music, the hall hosts an eclectic mix of jazz, folk, world and pop concerts, as well as Metropolitan Opera HD broadcasts, National Theatre productions and film screenings. Learn more about the philanthropist Shalin Liu.
NEW ENGLAND LIVING feature of the Shalin Liu Performance Center
An Elegant Venue For All
The Shalin Liu Performance Center seamlessly blends historical charm with state-of-the-art amenities, offering an inviting space for both world-class performances and community gatherings:
- A stunning 330-seat concert hall with extraordinary acoustics and air conditioning
- Professional-grade A/V technology for live HD broadcasts and film screenings
- Fully ADA accessible for all guests
- Oceanfront reception space on the third floor—ideal for educational, social, civic and corporate events (catering kitchen available)
- Wine, beer and concessions available before performances and during intermission
Watch a brief video tour of the Shalin Liu Performance Center.
A Community Resource
As a unique regional venue, the Shalin Liu Performance Center supports local education, arts and business initiatives by offering space for:
- School performances, rehearsals and educational programs
- Community and business events
Open Houses for the Shalin Liu Performance Center
During the summer month, the venue is open for public viewing, hosted by our volunteer docents.
The Design Team
A collaboration between architects Alan Joslin and Deborah Epstein (Epstein Joslin Architects, Cambridge, MA) and acoustician R. Lawrence Kirkegaard (Kirkegaard Associates, Chicago, IL), the center’s design is a tribute to both musical excellence and Rockport’s coastal beauty. Joslin and Kirkegaard have worked together on performing arts venues for over 20 years, beginning with the design of Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
“I have had the great pleasure of witnessing an inspired collective vision that sees the importance of classical music and musical creativity as vital to the enrichment of the human spirit, and recognizes a responsibility to keep this alive not only through performances of the highest standards, but also through education, whether that be in the schools or through adult lifelong learning. May the new building articulate these beliefs and show the respect Rockport Music has for the region that has helped nurtured its success.”
— Alan Joslin, Principal-in-Charge, Epstein Joslin Architects
Interior Highlights
- Natural elements of wood, stone and water reflect the coastal landscape
- Douglas Fir and American Walnut woodwork enhance acoustics and aesthetics
- Stone-clad walls echo Rockport’s rugged shoreline
- Curved woodwork design creates a ripple effect, mirroring the seascape
- Floor-to-ceiling stage window offers breathtaking views of Rockport’s Sandy Bay
Construction Timeline
1860’s—Approximate original building construction; became known as the Haskins Building, often the site of “Sociables” in town
2006—Rockport Music officially purchases the Haskins Building
October 2008—Demolition of Haskins Building
October 2009—Timber frame rises; wood framing begins for front of building
May 21, 2010—“Tuning the Hall for the Community” concert
June 10, 2010—Rockport Music’s Shalin Liu Performance Center officially opens with a concert featuring Bruce Hangen conducting an ensemble of thirteen for Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll.