Executive & Artistic Director
Thor Steingraber
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GREGORY PORTER
Christmas Wish
Sat | Dec 6 8pm
Run time is approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes including a 20-minute intermission.
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Program | Musicians | Program Note
Director Thor Steingraber Interviews Gregory Porter
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Join the Journey:
2025–26 Season at The Soraya
Each Soraya season is a journey. A word that suggests many meanings, a journey can be far from the here and now, an exploration of what’s new or novel, a return to timeless themes and ideas that are affirming beyond being familiar.
When we imagine this journey, a year or more in the planning, you are always on our minds — the many audiences from the Valley and beyond, with varied tastes and interests, unique cultures and communities, and a wide range of life experience.
The 2025–26 Season journeys farther than any previous: the nightlife of Lisbon, Buenos Aires, and Mexico City; the daily life of West Africa; the spiritual realms of Alice Coltrane and Duke Ellington; the masterworks of Brahms and the megahits of Quincy Jones; and much more.
Program Note
At The Soraya, we are happiest during the holiday season when the lobby is filled with families, excited for performances that have become their beloved traditions or taking photos on the Grand Staircase afterward. Backstage we host a flurry of artists donning their holiday finest and readying the music and dances from their own cultures. From Spain to Israel, Gospel music to Broadway tunes, December finds all artists and audiences at home here. 2025 began with the devastating fires, and yet audiences came in record numbers, a testament to the power of live performance. May this final month of the year end on a high note and point us to the future. The Soraya team will do its part and wishes you a New Year that is peaceful, hopeful, and music filled.
Gratefully,
Thor Steingraber
Executive and Artistic Director,
Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts
Gregory Porter
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Gregory Porter was raised in Bakersfield, California and cites the Bakersfield Southern Gospel sound, as well as his mother’s Nat King Cole record collection, as fundamental influences on his own sound. Porter began singing in jazz clubs in San Diego while attending San Diego State University on a football scholarship. Eventually, Porter moved to New York City to pursue music full-time, and his career began to ascend with the release of his first two albums—Water (2010) and Be Good (2012)—both of which received GRAMMY nominations. In 2013, he released his breakout Blue Note debut Liquid Spirit which grew into a global phenomenon, selling more than a million albums and earning Porter his first GRAMMY Award with NPR declaring him “America’s Next Great Jazz Singer.” His 2016 follow-up Take Me To The Alley won Porter his second GRAMMY Award and firmly established him as his generation’s most soulful jazz artist. In 2017, Porter released the heartfelt tribute album Nat King Cole & Me, and in 2020 returned to his original songwriting on the uplifting ALL RISE, both of which received GRAMMY nominations. His 2021 release Still Rising collected new songs, covers, duets, and a selection of his most-loved hits. In 2023, Porter released his first-ever holiday album Christmas Wish. Gregory has become one of the most successful jazz vocalists of his generation. He recently received the 2025 Edison Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award. With a voice that has been described as "liquid gold," Gregory Porter has captivated audiences around the world with his soulful baritone and deeply emotional performances. His unique blend of jazz, soul, and gospel has earned him critical acclaim and huge global success.
An Interview with Gregory Porter
The Soraya
The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya/Producer) is an award-winning, state-of-the-art 1,700-seat theater that opened in 2011 as the Valley Performing Arts Center. Through a transformative gift by Younes and Soraya Nazarian, the venue was renamed The Soraya in 2017. The Soraya is located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley.
Executive and Artistic Director Thor Steingraber, in his 12th year leading the organization, sums up what makes The Soraya a central piece of Los Angeles arts and culture. “At The Soraya, we hold a high standard of excellence for every performance from a vast array of artistic disciplines, and we hold steadfast to our commitment to the value and impact of the performing arts in community-building, for the Valley’s 1.8 million residents and beyond.”
The Soraya’s 2025–26 Season is a journey through the expansive sounds of orchestras, the freestyle vibes of jazz, the innovations of dance luminaries, and a vast array of global voices. The Soraya continues its vigorous commitment to excelling, innovating, and amplifying access for Valley residents, students, and arts lovers across Southern California.