Music mogul and philanthropist David Geffen has donated $100 million to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to lead the complete transformation of its largest concert hall.
The announcement was made Wednesday by Katherine Farley, chair of Lincoln Center.
The renowned performing arts building will be renamed David Geffen Hall in September at the start of the New York Philharmonic's 2015-16 season.
"As a native New Yorker, I recognize that Lincoln Center is a beacon to artists and musicians around the world," Geffen said in a statement. "To be involved with such a beloved and iconic institution is deeply satisfying."
"We are extremely grateful that David has chosen to focus his generosity on the transformation of this venerable concert hall for a new era," said Farley. "His gift provides the critical impetus for the project's fundraising campaign. David has devoted much of his remarkable career to fostering young artists and musicians. His passion for the arts will be realized every day in the new David Geffen Hall."
"This remarkable gift by David Geffen allows Lincoln Center to move forward with the transformation of our concert hall, and ensures that it will continue to be a world-class home for the Philharmonic and a wide variety of other artists and live performances," added Jed Bernstein, president of Lincoln Center. "The new David Geffen Hall will be a superb venue for classical music and a place that will inspire innovations in how audiences enjoy music for years to come."
"We applaud David Geffen for making possible the creation of a dynamic, new home for the New York Philharmonic here at Lincoln Center, something so paramount in helping us achieve our vision of an orchestra for the 21st century," said Matthew VanBesien, president of the New York Philharmonic. "We look forward to working together with Lincoln Center to create a revitalized hall that will allow us to imagine new possibilities, reflecting the way in which our art form and audiences are evolving, and that will inspire the great legacy of musicians and artists who will grace its stage."