25th Anniversary Celebration Honorees and Honorary Event Committee

Honorees

Dr. Edward Kantor, the Beverly Hills-based otolaryngologist who specializes in treatment of the professional voice, has helped the show go on for many a performer. His research in the field of otolaryngology and his innovative surgical procedures have kept him in the forefront of his profession for more than half a century. The Arts High Foundation was honored when he selected it as the permanent home of the Kathy Beth Kantor Memorial Scholarship Fund in Photography, after his daughter tragically passed away from cancer ten years ago. This tribute will not only celebrate his remarkable career, but will enable his many friends and patients to salute his commitment to the arts and Arts High.

Ginny Mancini, a native of Los Angeles, has been one of the leading supporters of the arts community in the city throughout her adult life. Widow of the legendary composer/musician Henry Mancini, Ginny was a singer who performed with the Tex Beneke Orchestra and with Mel Tormé before her marriage. In 1997, she established and has continued to support the Henry Mancini Electronic Music Composition Lab in her husband’s memory at LACHSA. Through her generosity, many young composers have had the rare opportunity to study music composition during their high school years which put them on the path to becoming composers. She has served as a Founder and/or Board member of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, Society of Singers, Henry Mancini Institute, Geffen Playhouse and currently serves as Vice President of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.

Barry Manilow, who Rolling Stone Magazine named as “a giant among entertainers… the showman of our generation,” has record sales now topping 80 million. Interestingly, he began supporting the school at its first graduation by performing to the delight of the graduates of the Class of 1987. Barry is also a passionate philanthropist. He established The Manilow Fund for Health & Hope, which is a nonprofit that donates to organizations that focus on cancer, AIDS, children’s issues, victims of abuse, the homeless, and music education. We are thrilled he is returning to help celebrate the school’s 25th Anniversary. He is performing at this event during a short break in his performance schedule at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

Flora L. Thornton is one of Los Angeles’ most generous and passionate supporters of arts education, especially opera.  Since 2002, she has been the major supporter of LACHSA’s Full Circle Opera Project. Through her steadfast generosity, she has provided rarely offered high school training that has inspired many students to pursue careers in opera. With her passion for opera and arts education, she has also given major support to USC’s School of Music (which was renamed in her honor), Los Angeles Music Center Opera since its establishment in 1986, the Santa Fe Opera on whose Board she served for nine years, and Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West, where she funded the Flora L. Thornton Chair in Voice.

Honorary Event Committee

Co-Chairs
Michael and Margo Leonetti O’Connell
and
Sheila and Wally Weisman

Photo Credit: Cliff Lipson