In December 2015, Taylor Swift donated $50,000 to the Seattle Symphony after being moved by its recording of Become Ocean, a contemporary orchestral composition by John Luther Adams. According to an announcement published by the orchestra’s public relations agency, Kirshbaum Associates, the donation supported the symphony’s Link Up education programme and its musicians’ pension fund. Eleven years later, Link Up continues to introduce schoolchildren to orchestral music through classroom lessons and interactive concerts at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. The programme allows students to sing and play instruments alongside professional musicians, extending the educational mission Swift helped support.
The composition that inspired Swift’s donation
Swift’s contribution followed her experience listening to Become Ocean, which the Seattle Symphony commissioned from American composer John Luther Adams in 2011. The orchestra premiered the work in June 2013 under then-music director Ludovic Morlot. The composition creates an expansive soundscape inspired by the ocean and explores humanity’s relationship with the natural world. In 2014, Become Ocean won the Pulitzer Prize for Music. The Seattle Symphony’s recording subsequently received the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.According to Kirshbaum Associates’ December 2015 announcement, Swift wrote to Morlot to express her appreciation for the musicians and the composition. She also recalled attending symphony performances with her grandmother and described how meaningful those experiences had been to her. Morlot welcomed the contribution, saying Swift had been moved by the work and shared the orchestra’s belief that everyone should have the opportunity to experience symphonic music.
How the $50,000 donation was used
Swift’s donation supported two areas of the Seattle Symphony’s work: Link Up, its school music education programme, and the pension fund for its musicians. The contribution therefore supported both young people discovering orchestral music and the professionals who perform it. At the time of the announcement, Link Up was expected to reach more than 12,000 children in grades three to five. Students learnt to sing and play instruments in their classrooms before joining the symphony for interactive concerts at Benaroya Hall.The programme had expanded since its launch. More than 6,000 students participated in its first year in 2014, followed by more than 9,000 in 2015. The initiative formed part of the symphony’s wider effort to make classical music accessible to children who might otherwise have limited opportunities to experience a professional orchestra.
Link Up continues to bring students and musicians together
According to Benaroya Hall’s official Link Up programme information, the initiative remains active in the 2026-2027 season. Its current edition, The Orchestra Rocks, introduces children to orchestral music through pieces including the Anvil Chorus, O Fortuna and Johnny B. Goode. Participating students receive classroom resources, interactive sheet music, recordings and videos to help them learn the music before attending a concert. Teachers also have access to curriculum materials and professional development resources.At the culminating performances, students sing and play along with the Seattle Symphony from their seats in the auditorium. Selected classes can also audition for opportunities to perform onstage with the orchestra, allowing some students to experience making music alongside professional musicians. The 2026-2027 concerts are scheduled for March 31 and April 1, 2027, at Benaroya Hall. The programme gives children an opportunity to engage with orchestral music through participation rather than simply listening to a performance.
Why the programme matters
Link Up combines music education with a live concert experience. By learning melodies and rhythms in the classroom beforehand, students arrive with an understanding of the pieces and an active role in the performance. The programme also helps teachers incorporate music into classroom learning. Online resources allow students to practise with recordings and interactive sheet music, while professional development helps teachers prepare lessons and activities.Swift’s donation was not the sole source of funding for Link Up, which has received support from other organisations and foundations. However, her contribution helped support an initiative designed to bring thousands of children into contact with professional musicians.
A musical connection that continues
Swift’s donation began with a personal response to a piece of contemporary orchestral music. More than a decade later, the Seattle Symphony continues to run the educational programme that received part of her gift.Although Link Up has evolved since 2015, its central idea remains the same: giving children the chance to experience orchestral music as participants. For students, it offers an opportunity to move beyond the audience and become part of the music themselves.
