Auroraleigh Cohen Celebration of Music Memorial Scholarship

for Principal Second Violin Chair

Endowed Merit Scholarship

Auroraleigh Camillia Klonoff Cohen, 23, was loved and admired by a large extended family on her mother’s (Dr. Hillary Klonoff-Cohen) and father’s side (Dr. Randy Cohen), a huge array of friends residing in California, Illinois, and Vancouver, Canada, and her favorite dog, Felicity. Auroraleigh was an active member of the Youth Symphony, which enriched her life for nine consecutive years in San Diego (2005-2013) and for two additional years in Illinois (2013-2015). At the age of 5, she began her violin studies with Karla Ulrich (Contreras) and later transitioned to Pasha Tseitlin and Michael Tseitlin. Auroraleigh also studied piano with her mother and Lori Bastien. Auroraleigh attended La Jolla Country Day School (from grades 1-10) and Carlsbad Seaside Academy (grades 11 and 12). In 2018, Auroraleigh graduated with a BS (with honors) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Community Health, and a minor in Gender and Women’s Studies. Auroraleigh had a strong sense of social justice and believed that treating mental health was a social justice and human rights issue.  Auroraleigh was employed as a mental health counselor and this exemplified another of her passions- to help people. Her patients continuously praised her empathy, warmth, humor, knowledge, and serenity. Auroraleigh celebrated all forms of music throughout her life- classical, rock and roll, heavy metal, rap, and electronic and loved to compose on her clavinova or piano and sing. In honor of the tremendous contribution that the Youth Symphony made to Auroraleigh’s celebration of music in her life, and in tribute of Hillary and Randy’s eternal love for their beautiful daughter, they have endowed a scholarship fund which underwrites tuition to support an outstanding young violinist.