why we're here
Our mission is to provide vibrant and relevant arts programming for the surrounding neighborhoods and communities of The San Fernando Valley and greater Los Angeles area. We provide pivotal arts experiences for some of the Valley’s most underserved residents and work alongside local k-12 schools to incorporate crucial arts learning into their curriculums. No matter their background, The Soraya is a place where students, families, arts patrons, and first-timers are all equally welcomed.
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Persevering in the face of challenges is part of our DNA — a two-decade quest for a site, a fundraising campaign interrupted by the Great Recession, and construction stalled by a state budget crisis. In the face of adversity, the Valley Performing Arts Center was born from tenacity. CSUN’s commitment was the game-changer, followed by support from County and State public leaders; Valley citizens and philanthropists joined the cause, and Younes and Soraya Nazarian secured a vision for the future.
Typically, this is the time of year when many supporters renew their annual gifts and purchase season tickets. If your circumstances allow, please consider re-allocating some of those resources to this one-time effort. These are unusual times, and they demand of us that we stand up bold ideas. Please join in making them a reality.
If you’d like to support an individual project, please contact The Soraya Development Department at (818) 677-8877 or SorayaGiving@csun.edu. You can view our online performances by clicking here.
Ways to Support
Our Supporters
SPONSORS
Violins of Hope major gifts have been provided by:
The Annenberg Foundation
Program Underwriting
The Green Foundation
Arts Education Underwriting
Milt ‘68 and Debbie Valera
Itzhak Perlman Opening Night Sponsors
The Labowe Family Foundation
Artist-in-Residence Sponsor
The Tseng College at CSUN
Itzhak Perlman Opening Night Reception
Lloyd Rigler Lawrence E. Deutsch
Foundation
Performance Sponsor
Earl S. Enzer ’83 & Karen D. Enzer ‘82
Performance Sponsor
VIOLINS OF HOPE: LOS ANGELES COUNTY
CHAIRS
Susanne Reyto & Geri Morguelan
VIOLINS OF HOPE: LOS ANGELES COUNTY HONORARY COMMITTEE
CHAIR
Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin
HONORARY COMMITTEE
State Senator Ben Allen
City Attorney Mike Feuer
State Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel
LA City Councilmember Paul Krekorian
County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl
State Assemblymember Marc Levine
The Honorable Joy Picus
LAUSD Board Member Scott Schmerelson
U.S. Representative Brad Sherman
The Honorable Zev Yaroslavsky
LA City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield
Secretary of State Alex Padilla
Retired LA City Controller and CSUN
Executive In Residence Wendy Greuel
LA City Councilmember John Lee
LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin
Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian
State Senator Robert Hertzberg
THE SORAYA’S VIOLINS OF HOPE OUTREACH COMMITTEE
CHAIRS
Dr. Bonnie Faherty & Edward G. Feldman
OUTREACH COMMITTEE
Dr. Marlene F. Bane
Jill Banks Barad & Ross Hopkins
Rosalyn Berg & Neal M. Berg ‘80
Dr. Sandra L. Klasky ‘77
Sherry Lapides
Francine Oschin ‘84, MA ‘85
The Honorable Joy Picus
Dr. Carol Shubin
Marcella Tyler
THE SORAYA’S VIOLINS OF HOPE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COMMITTEE
CHAIR
Sam Yebri
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COMMITTEE
Ori Blumenfeld
John Ly
Sara Jean Lipmen
Noah Berkowitz
Arielle Mokhtarzadeh
Aaron Taxy
Marina Torres
Teddy Kapur
Adeena Bleich
Leeor Alpern
Samantha Millman
Jason Levin
Yoni Fife
Naama Haviv
Kevin Weiser
Ami Fields-Mayer
Adam Seiff
Madeline McKenna
Ana Dahan
VISIONARY CIRCLE
Y&S Nazarian
Family Foundation
CHAMPION’S CIRCLE
$50,000+
The Annenberg Foundation
The Green Foundation
Sheila Kurland ’78 & Stanford L. Kurland ‘75
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
Debbie Valera & Milt Valera ‘68
$25,000 - $49,999
The Labowe Family Foundation
Kathleen P. Martin
The Lloyd E. Rigler–Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation
SPONSORS CIRCLE
$10,000 - $24,999
Jill Banks Barad & Dr. Ross B. Hopkins
Rosalyn Berg & Neal M. Berg ‘80
Dr. Mary A. Ditto & Frank W. Becker
Earl S. Enzer ‘83 & Karen D. Enzer ‘82
The Fanny & Svante Knistrom Foundation
Sherry Lapides
Los Angeles Jewish Symphony
Saint Nicholas Foundation
Conor O’Neil
Francine Oschin ‘84, MA ‘85
Elizabeth A. Purcell
The Ring Foundation
Stanley & Anita Hirsh Trust
Dr. Carol Shubin
Linda Swarzman & Judd T. Swarzman CLU
The Tseng College at CSUN
U.S. Bank Foundation– Christina Ketsoyan
Wilmington Trust – Brian Oard
PATRON’S CIRCLE
$5,000–$9,999
Anonymous
Josephine A. Barbera ‘61,
MA ‘70 & Robert J. Barbera
Dr. Shari-Tarver Behring & John Behring
The Stanley and Joyce Black Family Foundation
The Braun Family
Roberta Cipra ‘85, Sherlock Cipra & Dale Cipra ‘73
Melissa Clinton & Ryan Clinton
The County of Los Angeles Supervisor Sheila Kuehl
Renee M. Di Pierro & Vincent T. Di Pierro ‘77
Nancy Easterly & Mike Easterly
Dr. Bonnie Faherty & Edward G. Feldman
Goldman Sachs
Yvonne L. Green
Dr. Noah S. Marco & Connie Marco, MA, MFT, & Estelle Marco
Milken Family Foundation
The Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation
*Dr. Raul Ruiz
Charlene M. Sievers ‘74 & Michael W. Sievers
PATRON CIRCLE (Cont.)
$2,500 - $4,999
Linda Abell & Jeffrey M. Abell
Anonymous
Jeffrey W. Baker & Rodney S. Davis
Dr. Marlene F. Bane
Charles Berney
Christine Burdick-Bell & Michael F. Bell
Jilanne P. Fager ‘63, MA ‘72 & Richard A. Fager ‘62
Karen W. Harper & Don Harper
Christina Jaskiewicz
Patricia A. Kiddoo & Dr. Robert J. Kiddoo ‘69
Deborah L. Myman & Robert M. Myman
Joyce A. Primes ‘75 & David M. Primes ‘76, MS ‘12
Dr. Cynthia Z. Rawitch & Robert J. Rawitch ‘67
Andrea M. Reinken ‘80 & Donald Reinken
Christi K. Robinson ‘07 & John Robinson
Rydell Chevrolet – Gus Garcia
Marcella A. Tyler & Richard R. Tyler
Susan P. Washton & Martin C. Washton
$1,000 - $2,499
Anonymous (2)
Julie E. Blair ‘13 & Scott L. Blair ‘97, MA ‘07
Joan A. Boyett
Susan P. Brown & Robert F. Brown
Edward Burke ‘59, MA ‘69
The Burkhart Foundation
Catherine M. Cameron & Dr. Donald J. Cameron
The Charitable Foundation
Allison B. Clago
Christine Clark & Jimmy L. Clark ‘87
The County of Los Angeles Supervisor Kathryn Barger
Adrianna Cruz-Ocampo
Lynne DeWitt & James Dewitt
Gordon Durand
Susan G. Ettinger ‘80, MS ‘84
Walter Fidler
The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation
Gail Fonosch
Timothy W. Fox & Phyllis Russell ‘76
Deanna M. Freeman-Gorman & Alfred J. Gorman
Sandra A. Friedman & Ronald S. Friedman ‘70
Wendy Furth
Grant Geissman
Christina Gertz & Ronald H. Gertz ‘73
Marian B. Gould ‘79 & Jerome Gould
Leah V. Granof
George A. Johnson
Great Western Foils
Dr. Dianne F. Harrison & Mr. John L. Wujack
Barbara Johnson
Julie Korenstein ‘71
Judith Kugel
Deirdre M. Larkin ‘88 & Edwin C. Tingstrom
Helen Lowy ‘75 & Alan G. Lowy
Haviva Maroko & Michael Maroko
Cathleen Meyers
Miriam B. Jaffe
The Honorable Joy N. Picus & Dr. Gerald S. Picus
Barbara Pinchuk & Sheldon Pinchuk
Cheryl Santor
Kathleen Schwartzman
Maggy Simon & Jack B. Simon
Thor Steingraber
Karen & Sandy Tandler
Margaret B. Thomas
Village Travel Store
Julia Strickland & Timothy S. Wahl
Rachel Weissberger & Joel Weissberger
Florentina West
James Wolff
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
$500–$999
Dr. Annette A. Besnilian ‘94, EdD ‘13 & George G. Besnilian
Susan Cole Cassling ‘92
Eileen Cordi '75
Ana T. Dahan
David Fleming & Jean Fleming
Mark & Marla Gitig
Linda Hoban & Louis L. Hoban ‘98
Katherine Hongchoy
Ada & Jim Horwich Family Foundation
Glorya Kaufman
Dr. Sandra L. Klasky ‘77 and Dr. Irving Klasky
Harriet Leibovitch & Dr. Eric R. Leibovitch
Marla Lefton ’83 & Cary J. Lefton
Isolda Luber
Janice Kamenir-Reznik, Esq.
Anita Mann Kohl & Allen D. Kohl
Laurie Mondrus ‘71 & Charles Mondrus
Sherri W. Morr ‘75 & Paul Verger
Alan Nahmias
Natalie Noblitt & Jeffrey M. Noblitt
Maria S. Paredes
Karen K. Platt
Nancy Porter
Gloria S. Reyes ‘93 & Samuel Reyes
Helene L. Schacter & Dr. Robert I. Schacter
Donna Stillo
Barbara G. Sunenshine ‘96
Dorothy F. Ungerleider ‘75
Marlene Varnen
Leslie Vermut
The Weingart Foundation
Laurence Wolfe & Susan Wolfe
Alma R. Zatarain ‘80 & Mark A. Bowland
$250 - $499
Cathy A. Bennett ‘82 & Paul Bennett
Jean O. Buesing & Gregory P. Buesing
Cindy L. Chernow ‘78, MA ‘91 & Dr. Daniel M. Chernow ‘67, MA ‘89 MA ‘03
Dr. Marjorie S. Denker ‘77
Ruth Lindeck Forman & Lee S. Forman
Estelle K. Hekkers ‘96
V. Rev. Spencer T. Kezios
Susan Knox
Julie McDonald
Maria Meissner
Patricia I. Miller ‘72, MA ‘76 & Robert H. Miller ‘73, MA ‘76
Gerhard Paskusz
Monika Poe & Terry D. Poe
Ludmila Rastor
Sabrina & Bradley Rife
Laura L. Rishe ‘72 & Jerrold E. Rishe ‘72
Carol Rosenberg ‘93 & Howard A. Rosenberg
Michael C. Ryan & Kenneth B. Howard
Fred Scholder
Mariann & Paul Springer
Patricia Streeter
Paul Troy
Paula G. Watkins & Dr. William C. Watkins ‘74
THE SORAYA LEGACY GIFTS | CSUN HERITAGE SOCIETY
Evelyn V. Bautista*
Paul J. Beress ‘69*
Ed Burke ‘59, MA ‘69
Janet A. Kaplan
Howard F. Layne*
Larry Layne
Joy N. Picus
Clyde R. Porter*
Dr. Carol Ann S. Shubin
Donna Stillo
Bob Stiefel ‘67 & Ed T. Imparato
*Deceased
CORNERSTONE FOUNDERS
$5,000,000+
Linda & Mike Curb, Hon. D. '09
FOUNDERS
$25,000+
ADP Foundation
Aerojet Rocketdyne
The Ahmanson Foundation
The Honorable Michael D. Antonovich
Josephine '61, MA '70 & Robert Barbera
Mary '63 & Jack Bayramian
Dr. Ami & Remo Belli
Edythe & Eli Broad
Linda Brown '75
California Community Foundation
Rekha & Pradip Choksi
California State University, Northridge Alumni Association
California State University, Northridge Foundation Board
Karen Dunbar-Enzer '82 & Earl Enzer '83
Jaleh '86 & Dr. Galen Etemad
Jean & David Fleming, Hon. D. '09
Follett Higher Education Group
Richard L. Gay
Robbi & Rickey Gelb
Ilene & Stanley Gold
Goldman Sachs & Co.
John Golisch '72
Laurence K. Gould, Jr.
The Green Foundation
Cynthia Haas Griffeth '78 & William C. Griffeth '80, Hon. D. '17
Mary & Samuel Bond Haskell, III
Horace Heidt Big Bands Foundation
HGA Architects and Engineers
Elizabeth Levitt Hirsch
Joseph Drown Foundation
Janet & Benjamin Kaplan
Dr. Jolene Koester & Dr. Myron W. Lustig
The Sheila & Stanford L. Kurland Family Foundation
Ellie & Mark Lainer
Walter Lantz Foundation
Sherry & Albert Lapides, MS '68
Larry Layne & Dr. Sheelagh Boyd
Elizabeth & Howard Layne
Marla & Cary Lefton
Virginia Mancini
Erika & Gus Manders '64
MGM and UA Service Company
Microsoft Foundation
Timothy Miklaucic & Ana Loehnert
Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co., LLP
Muriel Pollia Foundation
Barry J. Nadell
National Notary Association
Nextel Communications
Northern Trust, NA
Lisa & Charles Noski '73, MS '95, Hon. D '07
Valerie & Sanford P. Paris
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
Nancy & Clyde Porter
JoAnn & Leonard Roth
Eda & Robin Rousselet '79, MS '97, MS '10
Samuel Goldberg & Sons Foundation, Inc.
The Honorable Brad Sherman
Charlene & Burton Sperber Foundation
State Farm Insurance©
Stern Family Foundation
Bob Stiefel '67 & Ed Imparato
Manja & Dennis Swanson
Milt '68 & Debbie Valera
Valley Alliance for the Arts
Valley Presbyterian Hospital
Warner Bros.
Wells Fargo Bank
Wells Fargo Foundation
The Honorable Zev Yaroslavsky, Hon. D. '15
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
$2,500 to $24,999
The Air Products Foundation
Bill Allen Hon. D. '14
Arts Council for California State University, Northridge
Jackie & Howard Banchik '62
Sheryl & Vincent Barabba '62, Hon. D. '12
Bastian & Perrott, Oswald Mortuary
Sara & Bob Bauer
Evelyn V.E. Bautista '62
Joann & Stan Benson '07, MA '09
Barbara '76 & Richard Bergman '77
Elaine Berke
David Bienstock
Jane & Herbert Boeckmann
The Boeing Company
Karen '64 & John Bradley
Broadway Federal Bank
In honor of Gailya Brown
In memory of Olie & Sibyl Brown
Flora & George Buchler '72
Jean & Greg Buesing
Walter J. Perez, California Industrial Group Corporation
California State University, Northridge University Women's Club
The Capital Group Companies Foundation
In memory of Rocky Childs
Annie & Barry Cleveland
Louis L. Colen
Rodney S. Davis & Jeffrey W. Baker
Carolyn DeFoe Reiss
Dignity Health
The Eisner Foundation
Jilanne '63, MA '72 & Richard Fager '62
Dr. Debra '75, MA '87 & Sim Farar
Richard '82 & Debra Farra '82
Shirley Ford
June & Herbert Frankenburg
Robert Gohstand & Maureen Kelly
Nicholas T. Goldsborough
Ronni '66 & Shepard Goodman '64
Cantor Judith Greenfeld & Michael Greenfeld
Toba & Earl Greinetz
Groman Eden Mortuary
Donald G. Gumpertz
Gene Haas Foundation
Sue '64 & The Honorable Alan Haber '64
Bernice & Leonard Haber
Diana & Dr. Richard Homer
David Honda
Stephen Horwitz '67
Kaiser Permanente
Beverly & Stan Kamber
Dr. Béla & Ange Kasza
Patricia & Dr. Robert Kiddoo '69
Dr. Sandra Klasky '77 & Dr. Irving Klasky
Florence A. '67 & David Kleine '66
Dr. Barbara '74 & Dr. Donald Kornblau
Los Angeles Opera
Shirley J. '75 & Dr. Martin Lebowitz
Lauren B. Leichtman '71 & Arthur E. Levine
Dr. Deborah Leidner
Allyn & Jeffrey L. Levine
Helen '75 & Alan Lowy
Phyllis & Irvin Mael
Sally & Philip Magaram, Hon. D '03
The Honorable Glenn A. Mahler '69
Gloria & Ronald Malkin
Elizabeth & Danny Markoe '72
Claire & Donald Marks '67
Virginia & Tom McCarron '76
Marianne & Dr. James Mertzel
Lon and Rocky Morton Donor Advised Fund
Moss Adams Foundation
Nancy & Philip Mundy '71
Neiman Marcus Topanga
COMMUNITY PARTNERS (Cont.)
Occidental Petroleum
Participant Media
Anne '65 and John Payne
Elizabeth & Salvatore Piazza
The Honorable Joy & Dr. Gerald Picus
Marilyn & Alan Popiel '70
Providence Health and Services
Pyramid Pipe & Supply Company
Miriam Rain, in memory of Leo J. Rain, M.D.
Cynthia & Robert Rawitch '67
Andrea '80 & Don Reinken
Professor Todd Russell Reinstein
Janice and Benjamin Reznik
Rita & Norm Roberts
Peggy '75 & Edward B. Robin
Merkie '76 & Dr. Ivan Rowan
Thomas L. Safran
Santa Barbara Bank & Trust
Regina & Joseph Scheer
In memory of Lydia Schneider
Dr. Carol Shubin
Dr. Christine '64 & Owen Smith '65, MA '67
John and Beverly Stauffer Foundation
Rita Streimer, in loving memory of Irving Streimer
Suzanne & William Sutton
Rebecca '83 & Pierre Tada '80
Dr. Shari Tarver-Behring & John Behring
Gayle '67 & Philip Tauber '68
Renee Tepper
The Tseng College, California State University, Northridge
The University Corporation
Julia Strickland & Tim Wahl
Ellen & Howard Wang '67
Debra E. Srery-Weiss '79 & Scott J. Weiss '78
Winner & Associates
Janice & Mark Winston
Sandra '84 & Ronald Zacky
Dr. Maria Elena Zavala & James Parker
