Majestic Realty Co. - Press Release

Los Angeles, CA (May 4, 2006) - More than 50 children are receiving music lessons at the Salvation Army Red Shield Youth and Community Center, thanks to a grant from the Majestic Realty Foundation that funded a music enrichment program called Sound Art. Despite the success, organizers say the program will need additional funding from outside donors to meet the overwhelming demand from students and parents.

"We put up posters in two languages all over the center and had about 50 children sign up," ranging in age from 6 to 16, said Catherine Goldwyn, executive director and founder of Sound Art. Some of the children showed up with guitars strapped to their backs, eager for lessons, she said.

After a preliminary meeting at which each child's musical ability was assessed, the students were allowed to sign up for classes in guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and band ensemble.

"The largest class is the guitar class," Goldwyn said. "To be honest, we have already gone over budget with this project simply because of the enthusiasm and the commitment on the part of the children, their parents and the center itself."

Goldwyn said she is seeking additional funding from other sources to continue the program.

"These are the kinds of partnerships that really make a difference for kids who live in Los Angeles' most at-risk and underserved neighborhoods," said Fran Inman, president of the Majestic Realty Foundation. "We were so pleased to bring Sound Art together with the Red Shield, especially when we see reduced funding for music education in our schools. Now we would like to bring in other foundation partners to help keep Sound Art alive here at Red Shield."

Irene de Anda Lewis, executive director of Red Shield, agreed, saying that the children who use the center in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles have truly embraced the program and will benefit from ongoing music education.

"Sound Art is a resounding success for us and we hope that other donor partners will help us keep the program alive," Lewis said. "We are so grateful to the Majestic Realty Foundation for its continued support."

The Majestic Realty Foundation is a long-time supporter and partner of the Salvation Army's Los Angeles Red Shield Youth and Community Center. With its location in the Pico-Union neighborhood, the Red Shield provides a positive, safe environment for youth to take part in a variety of activities, from educational programs and community service, to sports and recreation.

Goldwyn created Sound Art in 2002. Today, Sound Art brings a wide variety of music lessons across a myriad of musical styles to more than 1,000 children each week in schools and community centers throughout Los Angeles. In addition to providing instrumental instruction, Sound Art developed an innovative partnership with Berklee College of Music to offer education in recording, production, audio engineering, technology and theory to prepare youth for college and for jobs in the music industry.

For more information about the Los Angeles Red Shield, visit www.laredshield.org. For information about Sound Art, visit www.soundartla.org.

Established in 2002, the Majestic Realty Foundation provides grants and other support to various charitable community partners that work the areas of youth, family, education, and health and violence prevention in the communities where Majestic Realty Co., one of the nation's leading private commercial real estate developers, does business.

Media Contact:
Fran Inman
Senior Vice President
(562) 948-4375
finman@majesticrealty.com