The Soraya Launches The Thor Steingraber Fund For Artistic Innovation

The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya) will establish the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation as Executive and Artistic Director Thor Steingraber concludes his 12-year leadership of the institution.

Launched with philanthropic support from the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation and Milt and Debbie Valera, the fund will underwrite original public performances, commissions, premieres, and major artistic programs that reflect The Soraya’s emphasis on new work and large-scale creative initiatives. The venue is currently celebrating its 15th anniversary.

Soraya Nazarian stated, “Over the past ten years, we have come to know Thor and his vision. Through his leadership, we have witnessed values we so admire come to life on this stage — in the artists, their work, and the experiences they create for Los Angeles' many communities and for the students of CSUN.”

Steingraber noted that new work remains central to The Soraya’s mission, citing past commissions, premieres, and cross-disciplinary collaborations featuring Los Angeles–based artists. He described these projects as significant both in scope and in their service to diverse and multigenerational audiences.

The initial fundraising goal for the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation is $1.25 million by the end of the 2025–26 season.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Three upcoming events will support the initiative:
• The Soraya’s 15th Anniversary Celebration Dinner on Jan. 22, 2026, presented in conjunction with a debut concert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti.
• The opening of the 5th annual Jazz at Naz festival on Jan. 31 with Sacredness, featuring Gerald Clayton honoring Duke Ellington’s Concert of Sacred Music.
• The Final Salon on Apr. 25, featuring a conversation with Steingraber as he prepares to conclude his tenure.

THOR STEINGRABER’S LEGACY AT THE SORAYA

Since assuming leadership in 2014, Steingraber has presented more than 500 culturally diverse and critically recognized performances, including over 120 premieres, commissions, or Soraya-produced works. His tenure has emphasized long-term collaborations with artists and companies across disciplines, many of which have continued touring nationally and internationally.

Highlights include:
• A decade-long partnership with the Martha Graham Dance Company, yielding multiple world premieres and commissioned scores, including the recent premiere En Masse.
• Residencies with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Ballet BC, each premiering original works at The Soraya.
• Soraya-produced tribute concerts honoring Henry Mancini, Linda Ronstadt, Quincy Jones, Leonard Bernstein, Frank Sinatra, and Dolores Huerta.
• Exclusive concert presentations of theatrical works including Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, Faust: The Concert, and Dear World starring Tyne Daly.
• Appearances by Broadway artists with new arrangements by Pacific Jazz Orchestra, including concerts by Aaron Tveit and Eva Noblezada.
• The annual original production Nochebuena: A Christmas Spectacular, now in its tenth year.
• DIAVOLO: Existencia, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Northridge earthquake with a new score by Antonio Sanchez and Thana Alexa.
• Region-wide collaborations such as Violins of Hope, spotlighting restored instruments from the Holocaust.
• Jazz vocalist Samara Joy’s first concert following her 2023 GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist.
• Expansion of livestreaming for select concerts, including behind-the-scenes content. Jazz at Naz was recently named one of DownBeat’s “Great Jazz Venues of the World” and received “Best Festival” from San Francisco Classical Voice’s Audience Choice Awards.
• The Music Knows No Borders series, presenting artists from more than 40 nations.
• The L.A. Seen festival, introduced in 2025, showcasing new work by Los Angeles artists including operatic excerpts by Terence Blanchard.
• Multi-performance celebrations such as the 2016 tribute to composer John Adams.
• Collaborations with artists from rock, jazz, and classical traditions, including Stewart Copeland and Serj Tankian.
• Programs centered on environmental themes, including Future Currents: The Los Angeles River.
• The Soraya-commissioned world premiere Treelogy, created with The New York Times and touring statewide.
• Numerous live-to-film concerts, including The General, Amadeus, Selma, and Coco, among others.

ABOUT THOR STEINGRABER

Thor Steingraber will conclude his 12-year tenure as Executive and Artistic Director of The Soraya at the end of the season. The Soraya is recognized for its acoustic design, diverse programming, and leadership in Spanish-language and jazz presentations. Prior to The Soraya, Steingraber oversaw the opening of Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles, served as Harvard Kennedy School’s first Arts Fellow, and directed operas internationally.

ABOUT THE YOUNES AND SORAYA NAZARIAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

The 1,700-seat Soraya opened in 2011 and was renamed in 2017 following a transformative gift from the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation. Located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, The Soraya serves as a major cultural institution of the San Fernando Valley, presenting artists from across the world and offering year-round programming across multiple disciplines.