NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Symphony got an early Christmas present when country superstar Taylor Swift made a $100,000 donation.

According to the Nashville Musicians Association, the gift was a surprise to symphony representatives who attended a meeting last week facilitated by musicians' union president Dave Pomeroy.

Pomeroy said in a news release that Swift is a member of the union and a generous artist who has never failed to demonstrate her devotion to the greater Nashville community and its musicians.

The donation comes at the end of a difficult year for the symphony, which narrowly avoided bankruptcy and the sale of its Schermerhorn Symphony Center this summer after a wealthy patron stepped in to help.

Because of the financial problems, musicians agreed to a 15 percent pay cut in their latest contract.