Last Wednesday (12/26) on the Los Angeles Times blog Culture Monster, David Ng reports, “The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has received a hefty stocking stuffer this season in the form of a monetary gift from Terri and Jerry Kohl. The couple’s $1-million challenge gift is the largest in the organization’s history, according to orchestra leaders. The Kohls are the founders of Brighton Collectibles, the Southern California retailer of women’s accessories. LACO said the challenge grant—given with a request for a matching gift—has already been met by two anonymous donations totaling an additional $1 million. The orchestra said the $2 million will establish Cornerstone Campaign, a major gifts and endowment initiative. LACO was founded in 1968 and is led by music director Jeffrey Kahane. … In a statement, Jerry Kohl said that LACO has had to make ‘considerable sacrifices’ in recent years in order to maintain its fiscal standing. ‘We chose to make this gift because we don’t want the orchestra to ever compromise its artistic programming’ … Rachel Fine, the orchestra’s executive director, said in an interview that the sacrifices Kohl referred to include suspending the orchestra’s family series and reducing the number of musicians at certain performances. … But she said the cuts were ‘not severe’ and that the orchestra continues to maintain its level of artistic excellence.”
Posted January 2, 2012
