Gibson Gives joins the crescendo of support for music students of every background
At just 26 years of age, Grammy®-winning artist and Gen Z trailblazer Laufey has unveiled The Laufey Foundation—a nonprofit on a mission to open the doors of youth orchestra programs to students from every background. From the Foundation’s website:
“A primary purpose of The Laufey Foundation is to ensure that young musicians of all demographics have the opportunity to attend youth orchestra programs, as youth orchestras serve as a gateway and conduit for serious student musicians to achieve their full potential by giving them the experience they need to be successful in their college and university ensembles.”
Helming this effort are founding partners AWAL, AEG Presents, and Steinway & Sons, with Gibson Gives, Warner Chappell, and Catbird proudly standing alongside as benefactor partners. Gibson Gives is excited to support the Laufey Foundation’s vision—backing grants, instrument donations, and educational resources that will nurture tomorrow’s virtuosos. Recently, Gibson Gives also partnered with Music Rising to replace instruments lost in the fires in Los Angeles.
Erica Krusen, Global Executive Director of Gibson Gives, says, “Gibson Gives is proud to partner with The Laufey Foundation in our shared mission to empower the next generation of musicians. Together, we’re expanding access to music education, scholarships, and youth orchestra programs—ensuring that every young artist has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of background.”
Drawing on the very scholarships that launched her career—including a Presidential Scholarship to Berklee College of Music—Laufey is directing her inaugural round of grants to the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, LA Phil’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles), The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra; and Carnegie Hall’s national ensembles, NYO2 and NYO Jazz. And this is only the beginning, as more orchestras around the world will join in future grant cycles.
In a playful nod to her fans, Laufey will also contribute a portion of proceeds from every “Mei Mei the Bunny” plushie sold to fuel the Foundation’s work. This latest initiative builds on her earlier philanthropy, from establishing a $100,000 graduate scholarship at Syracuse University’s Bandier Music Business Master’s Program to supporting wildfire relief efforts across Los Angeles.
