Donor Stories
Learn how others have made an impact through their acts of giving to The Music Center.
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Mimi Rotter was raised on Los Angeles's west side, and growing up, she
remembers coming to performances at The Music Center. Mimi believes The
Music Center is an amazing...
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Shirley and Irving Ashkenas's 50 year commitment to the Music Center dates
back to the 1970's. Shirley has a distinct pride for The Music Center and
what it has done for the arts in Los Angeles. Shirley shares, "When I was a
student at UCLA, you had to go either to New York or San Francisco for
culture.
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Mary Levin Cutler's relationship to the performing arts in Los Angeles
began on her college campus of Cal State LA when Dorothy Chandler's "buck
bag" was circulated to raise money for what would become The Music Center. "I belonged to a music fraternity, a college fraternity of women in music."
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Joan Herman's commitment to the performing arts stems from her years of
dance, both classical ballet and modern. "Many, many years ago, I was very
involved with dance. I went to the High School for the Performing Arts in
New York City. I was dancing, hoping at one point that it would be my
career, but I had a problem with my back, so it didn't work out."
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"My enduring love of the arts began when I was a child living near Lincoln Center in Manhattan. At that young age, my father instilled in me a passion for art, theater and dance. For the following 40 years, The Music Center has played an important role in both of our lives."
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The Childs are inspiring and exemplary supporters of the arts; their impeccable taste has helped to shape the arts from Los Angeles to New York to London.
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An integral part of The Music Center family, Diane Morton has been devoted to the arts as a supporter, volunteer, and advocate for nearly five decades. Her most recent act of devotion is a $2.5 million planned gift to support Blue Ribbon, The Music Center's Spotlight and dance programs and all the resident companies.
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A fourth generation Californian, Miriam Birch has deep roots in Los Angeles. Her mother was born just down Temple Street before The Music Center was built. When The Music Center opened its doors in 1964, Miriam began attending performances, particularly ballet...
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Nan Rae attended The Music Center's 43rd Annual Very Special Arts Festival for children of all abilities. This year's theme, Arts Heal L.A., was very timely for the first in-person festival since the start of the pandemic.
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This has been a momentous year for Howard Sherman as he celebrated 35 years at The Music Center, his 30th wedding anniversary and turning 60!
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David Conlon was 16 when he first visited The Music Center. The performance
was Jean Sibelius' Symphony...