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.

Gala attendees will be seated for the Academy of St Martin in the Fields concert accordingly: Members and Founders who are attending the gala will be seated first, with every effort made to seat them in their regular reserved locations. Where there is overlap, The Soraya staff will resolve those instances at its discretion. Simultaneously, gala sponsors will then be seated in remaining available premiere and orchestra seats. All other gala attendees will be seated from front to back in the Orchestra section. Special seating requests (e.g., aisle seats, box seats, Parterre seats) will be fulfilled in the order made, as availability allows.