In Harmony: Matsumoto and Stark Give Opera Students a Major Boost

Married for more than 50 years, Marty Stark and Shigemi Matsumoto are a couple whose devotion to one another is matched only by their dedication to elevating the next generation of musical artists. 

A beloved longtime member of the CSULB voice faculty, Ms. Matsumoto is an award-winning professional opera singer who has performed with top opera companies, artists, and conductors throughout the world.  She and Mr. Stark, a visionary entrepreneur, businessman, and consultant, have individually and together made their mark on a variety of fields — from education to entertainment to technology — and they will continue to have a positive impact on the lives and careers of young vocalists through their estate gift to the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.  This gift will provide, in perpetuity, scholarship support to deserving singers in the university’s celebrated Opera Studies program.  In addition, Mr. Stark and Ms. Matsumoto have established the Matsumoto Opera Scholarship, which provides much-needed financial support to current students in the Opera Studies Program. 

The university and the College of the Arts join the countless students who have benefited from the couple’s generosity, expertise, and wisdom in thanking Mr. Stark and Ms. Matsumoto for their extraordinary commitment to music education.  HEAR directly from this remarkable couple about their views on philanthropy and about what inspired them to make the gift of a lifetime.