A gala evening honors the individual most responsible for The Soraya – former CSUN President Dr. Jolene Koester who moved state and local leaders and philanthropists with her vision and perseverance to open The Soraya In 2011. Now, with more than four decades of service to higher education and the state of California, Dr. Koester returns to The Soraya to be honored alongside Joshua Bell who returns to The Soraya for his 9th appearance, leading Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Bell’s world travels have brought him to The Soraya more frequently than any other artist. As the foremost violinist of his generation.