LOS ANGELES (September 6, 2007) - The Music Center is pleased to announce the most recent appointments to its Board of Directors. Dr. Sung Won Sohn, Lisa Specht and Nicholas H. Stonnington began their tenure at the start of the new fiscal year July 1, 2007. The Center also welcomes the return to the board of Brad Brian.

"This group of new board members brings with them vast knowledge and experience that continues to strengthen and enhance our efforts to support and enrich the Center," states Music Center Chairman John Emerson. "Each of these individuals provides a unique professional perspective to the board and the business and decisions it undertakes. In addition, each new member has their own special interest in the Center, its role in the community and the art that it presents."

The Music Center is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the nation, and one of the world's premier cultural organizations. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Music Center is home to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theater, Mark Taper Forum and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Each year, the Music Center welcomes more than 1.3 million people to performances by its four internationally renowned performing arts companies: The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Opera and Los Angeles Master Chorale. In addition, the Music Center offers the largest presentation of dance in Los Angeles, a tour program, participatory arts activities, exciting programming for children and families throughout the year and nationally recognized school education programs.

Dr. Sung Won Sohn is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hanmi Financial Corporation. Prior to joining Hanmi, he served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Economic Officer of Wells Fargo Banks, a senior economist on the President's Council of Economic Advisors in The White House, and a tenured college professor in the Pennsylvania State University System. Dr. Sohn has been named "The Executive of the Year" by the local Chamber of Commerce and has been recognized in several publications for his accuracy in economics. He currently serves on the boards of L.A. World Affairs Council, Children's Bureau and Claremont Graduate University.

Lisa Specht is a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLC and has been involved in several civic assignments including chairing the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission and the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Commission as well as serving as Chief Counsel for the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles in 2000. Specht has been recognized as one of the "Top 100 Influential Lawyers in California" and was selected to be included in Who's Who of American Women. She currently serves as Trustee and Executive Board for Pitzer College (Claremont Colleges), Director and Executive Board for Town Hall Los Angeles, Central City Association, and American Jewish Committee.

Nicholas H. Stonnington is President and founder of Stonnington Group, LLC and was previously Senior Vice President, Investments, of Merrill Lynch & Co. He has held the positions of President of the Los Angeles Fire & Police Pensions Department, Commissioner of the Planning Department of the City of Los Angeles, Board Member of the Girl Scouts of the USA, Chair of the Investment Committee of the Los Angeles Opera, among others. More recently, Stonnington has served on the boards of the L.A. Opera, the L.A. County Natural History Museum, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Don Bosco Technical Institute and the Asia Society of Southern California.