Soundbridge History

Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center marks the fulfillment of a long, well-established commitment to musical education on the part of Seattle Symphony. Beginning with children's concerts in 1928, the Symphony has gradually expanded its education and community programs to embrace a broad spectrum of performances in schools and performing arts venues throughout the region, plus workshops, lectures and special events for children and adults alike.

In 1998, when construction of Benaroya Hall was approaching completion, Seattle Symphony received a donation of $5 million, of which $1 million was earmarked to "jump start" a learning center – Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center – within the near-complete concert hall. The timing was ideal, since a space of approximately 2,000 square feet was available on street level on Second Avenue at Union Street, the northwest corner of Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. An earlier idea to put a restaurant in that space proved impractical, and with the unexpected gift of $1 million for a learning center, the Symphony had found an answer to two problems: how to utilize the available space, and how to enhance the Symphony's educational and outreach programs. The solution: create a center of learning in Benaroya Hall that would serve as a hub to connect people of all ages to Seattle Symphony and to the timeless legacy of symphonic music.

To ensure success, the Symphony knew it had to talk with music educators, musicians, businesses, music listeners and young people. Though the Symphony administration felt a strong sense of mission in developing Soundbridge, they knew that it had to fulfill the needs and aspirations of its constituents. To that end, the Symphony hired an outside consultant, Toni Aspin, to lead a Task Force of 25 business and community leaders consisting of public school teachers, a high school student, leaders of local arts and education organizations, information and communications technology specialists, a curriculum consultant, and Seattle Symphony musicians, Board members, and administrative staff. While every member brought a distinct point of view, the common factor among the group was a passion for classical music and a strong belief in the value of music education for everyone.

The charge of the task force was to develop a set of recommendations for the learning center. These recommendations were to map the center's vision, mission and goals; identify who the center intended to serve; describe the overall nature of programming; offer possible learning experiences for the center visitor; and outline an implementation plan.

The task force met seven times during a three-month period. Members researched other music learning center models nationally and studied education and outreach programs of symphony orchestras around the nation.

In March 1999, the task force presented its recommendations to the Symphony's Board of Directors. Working with recommendations made by Music Director Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony musicians and key Seattle Symphony staff, and under the leadership of former Seattle Symphony Director of Education and Community Programs Dr. Patricia Costa Kim, Lehrman Cameron Studio designed Soundbridge to also serve as a resource center for classroom teachers as well as the community at large. The exhibits use interactive technologies to create an expanded and continually fresh offering of educational programming and exhibits devoted to symphonic music – from building a knowledge base of the classical repertoire and of musical terms, to increasing the understanding of music's role and function in history and culture.

Since opening its doors to the public on April 17, 2001, Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors.