Taylor Swift’s $100,000 donation to the Nashville Symphony, presented on December 13, will assist the orchestra in fulfilling its mission and meeting its fundraising goals this year, Symphony President & CEO Alan D. Valentine said today.
“We are enormously grateful to Taylor Swift for her generosity, which will have an immediate and hugely meaningful impact on the Nashville Symphony’s mission of making great music and music education accessible to everyone in the Middle Tennessee community,” Valentine said. “Taylor’s gift also sends a powerful message to young people everywhere that orchestras — and the Nashville Symphony, in particular — matter.”
Funds raised through the Nashville Symphony’s annual fundraising campaign support mission-focused activities provided by the orchestra’s resident musicians out in the community, which include visits to local classrooms, instrument lessons and concerts in public parks — all provided free of charge. “For the Symphony to thrive, we will need generous and sustained support from across the entire community,” Valentine added. “Investments like Taylor’s show a genuine belief in the Symphony’s mission and a confidence in our role within the community. This year’s fundraising campaign has already enjoyed a big boost, thanks in part to this latest gift, a threefold increase in giving from our Board of Directors, and an additional $1.25 million in challenge grants from private donors and foundations.”
Valentine said the Nashville Symphony appreciates the leadership of Dave Pomeroy, President of AFM Local 257, who facilitated a meeting between the Symphony and Taylor Swift’s management, which resulted in the $100,000 gift.
Pomeroy said, “Taylor Swift, who is a member of our Local, is not only an amazing talent with fans all across the globe; she is also an incredibly generous artist who has never failed to demonstrate her devotion not only to her own band, but also to the greater Nashville community and our musicians. We all appreciate the significance of her contribution to Music City’s world-class orchestra at such an important time in its history.
“Now is the time for all the citizens of Nashville to step forward and support our world-class orchestra in its time of need,” Pomeroy added. “Taylor has set a great example, and I hope that others will follow her lead and help ensure that the Nashville Symphony musicians’ salaries can be restored to their previous level as soon as possible. This is an incredible start.”
To support the Nashville Symphony’s Annual Campaign, and to learn more about the orchestra’s service to the community, which includes reaching more than 230,000 people annually, visit NashvilleSymphony.org/support.
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