Pacific Symphony receives a gift: administrative office building

Two longtime Pacific Symphony supporters, Ling and Charlie Zhang, have donated the Irvine, California building that houses the organization’s administrative offices to the orchestra, saving an estimated $150,000 per year in rent on the 15,399-square-foot space. The building, the Zhang Center, is next to Orange County Music and Dance, an adjacent parcel that was previously given by the Zhangs to OCMD. The Zhangs and Doug Freeman founded the nonprofit OCMD school, and Pacific Symphony President John Forsyte sits on the school’s board of directors. The Zhang Center will also house Arts Orange County and the Southern California Children’s Chorus. In making the gift, Charlie Zhang said, “On behalf of Ling and myself, we are pleased to be able to present this building as a gift to Pacific Symphony. The orchestra has meant so much to both of us, and we are proud to be able to support all the amazing artists of this wonderful orchestra.”