Musicians who have lost homes to wildfires.
Your generous donations help them rebuild.
Alex and Ian have had their family home destroyed by the wildfires that are ripping through California. Their beautiful home in Altadena is gone. The whole block. All their instruments – Ian’s harpsichords, fortepiano, clavichord and Alex’s countless recorders – all gone. Nothing left. No news yet about the safety of their cats. It’s simply unimaginable. Donated funds can help them get their family back on its feet as they’ll need new everything. They will have to rebuild their lives, so hopefully some help from caring friends and fellow musicians will be welcome. Sending Alex, Ian and their boys all our love and support at this horrendous time.
Colburn Colleagues’ Homes Destroyed
We are raising funds to directly support our Colburn colleagues who lost their homes to the wildfires.
Many in our Colburn community are navigating devastating loss as wildfires continue to blaze throughout Los Angeles. At this time, the fires have burned more than 29,000 acres, destroying thousands of buildings and entire neighborhoods. It is difficult to comprehend the scope of this destruction, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this disaster.
- Yuka Fukuda, Modern Dance Instructor
- Tara Grand, Director, Office of Events & Special Programs
- Carrie Kennedy, Violin Faculty
- HyeJin Kim, Piano Faculty
- Ian Pritchard, Music History and Literature Faculty
Beloved friend, Erin Barnes, lost her home in the Altadena fire early in the morning of her Birthday! She evacuated on Tuesday evening with one overnight bag and her car. She is safe but all of her things are gone. Let’s give Erin the birthday gift of helping her rebuild her life. Your donation will go to Erin directly to help her with everything she will need in the days ahead. This will include the cost of finding a new place to live as well as the replacement of essentials and creature comforts.
This go fund me is for the Kuszyk Family and more specifically Marion and Brent Kuszyk. They lost their home in Altadena yesterday due to the Eaton Canyon Fires. Luckily everyone is safe but the house and everything in it was completely destroyed. They lost a lifetime of memories, music, and their possessions. This has been a nightmare and any help at all will help them move towards recovering. All donations will go to Marion and Brent and help them to rebuild, get supplies, and recover from this devastating loss.
Juhi Bansal and Nic Gerpe lost their house and everything they have on the planet except for each other in the Eaton wildfire in Altadena on January 8, 2025. Juhi and Nic are a wife and husband musician team – she a composer and he a pianist – both brilliant educators in their fields, both kind and generous to their friends and colleagues. The musician community works hard to support our own with what little we have. Please join in doing whatever you can to help them find a way forward.
Carrie Kennedy and Joel Pargman tragically lost their home in Altadena during the horrific wildfires.
There are two GoFundMe Drives to help Carrie and Joel!
Carrie and Joel are two beloved and long-serving members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and they need our help! Thankfully, they’re safe (as is their adorable King Charles Spaniel, Ginger), but they were forced to evacuate rapidly and have lost everything, as you can see from the photo. Our LACO family and the Los Angeles musical community is stronger with Carrie & Joel in it – please give what you can! All donations will go directly to Carrie & Joel to help them rebuild.
We are heartbroken for our dear friends Carrie Kennedy and Joel Pargman who lost their home and belongings in the Eaton Fire. They contribute so much to the LA music community as amazing violinists, activists, and educators. Please make a donation in any amount to help this wonderful couple rebuild their lives.
There are two GoFundMe Drives to help An Perry!
Antoinette (‘An’) Perry, on the piano faculty of the USC Thornton School of Music for 25 years, lost her home, her possessions, and above all, her beloved pianos (a 9′ Steinway D and her mother’s 7′ Hamburg Steinway) in the Eaton Canyon fire.
Despite the fire raging in Altadena, she hired two piano movers to get in and save them, but when they arrived, her home was already in flames and they could not be safely moved. Needless to say, she is devastated – the instruments were the pianos of her dreams and are truly irreplaceable. Antoinette Perry has touched so many lives through her brilliant performances and beautiful teaching throughout her long career, and she is deeply loved. Anything you can offer to help would be greatly appreciated. All funds that are raised will go directly to Antoinette Perry.
Like so many in our wonderful community of professional musicians and artists living in Altadena, a friend and colleague Tina Soule has lost her family home in the Eaton fire. Tina has made her home in Altadena since 1998 where she and her late husband, Rusty Derr, raised their family and filled the house with music, woodwork, beautiful ceramic creations and a lifetime of memories. Tina has contributed so much over the years to the fabric of her community and her home was a treasured spot for so many.
Tina escaped the fire with nothing but her two cats and her two cellos. Much of the cherished mementos left behind are irreplaceable but any amount of assistance we can collect for her will certainly help ease the pain of this loss and help with basic needs and housing as she and her family pick up the pieces and try to figure out what’s next.
Help Aroussiak Baltaian recover from the Eaton Fire
Our dear friend and colleague, Aroussiak Baltaian and her elderly parents lost all their possessions and their treasured home of 15 years in the Eaton Canyon Fire. She has been a fixture of the professional musician community and has contributed greatly to the culture of Los Angeles through her music, teaching, and her gregarious, caring nature. She is adored by her colleagues and friends alike. Thank you in advance for your generous giving to help her through this very challenging time. All funds will go directly to Aroussiak Baltaian and will be used toward the massive financial burden this disaster has placed upon her.
Support for Kaplan Family After Eaton Fire
My name is Nikita Kaplan. This go fund me is for my parents – Larry Kaplan and Andrea Byers – who sadly lost their home in the Eaton Fire. This was also the childhood home for me and my brother Ben. I’m trying to help raise some money for them during this difficult time. There are no words to express the loss of our home and memories. My parents were only able to leave with the family cat, and a few personal belongings. We are thankful to be alive and at the same time devastated.
Support Anthony, Susie and Elias after California fire
My name is Emily, I’m devastated to share that my brother Anthony, his wife Susie, and 3 year old son Elias lost their Altadena home last week in the ongoing California fires. When they were forced to evacuate, they brought almost nothing with them but the clothes on their backs, a few things for Elias, and their cat. With many fires in their surrounding neighborhood, they quickly left not knowing it was the last time they would ever set foot in the place that housed everything they owned and their cherished memories.
Support the Rizzo Family after Eaton Canyon Fire
As many of you know, my parents lost their beautiful home and all of their possessions in the catastrophic Eaton Canyon fire. In a matter of hours, the fire swept through their neighborhood, leaving behind only ashes where their home once stood. The devastation has been immense, with decades of memories and belongings gone in an instant. While this is a challenging time, I know my parents will be okay. This home was a haven to many, including myself, and it brought us all closer together. Many of you have reached out asking how you can help, and I wanted to create a space for those who would like to offer support. Your support, whether through a donation or by sharing this campaign, is deeply appreciated and will make a meaningful difference as they begin this next chapter. Thank you for your kindness and encouragement—it means so much to all of us.
Support Pacific Palisades Music Studio
I am a piano teacher who lost a 28 year old business in the Palisades fire. And while my office is miraculously standing, I am grieving not being able to continue working with families I have worked with for years. They lost their homes, schools and reasons to be in Pacific Palisades. I lost them and my source of income. The funds raised will be spent on maintaining the studio/ its lease, advertising and monthly bills until the Palisades will start returning to rebuild their homes and lives.