Music to Our Ears

From touch football to touching lives through generosity and music — the story of Dr. David Dobrow is a fascinating one of resilience and discovery. It also is a story in which UCLA plays a key role. Dobrow was an athlete, actor, World War II veteran, doctor, and music lover. His coda — an $11.7-million bequest to The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music — adds “generous philanthropist” to his list of accomplishments.

The bequest, from David and his late wife, Dr. Irmgard Dobrow, is supporting the performance of classical music at UCLA. The generous contribution from Dobrow, who played football at UCLA and did not study music, came as a surprise to those at the music school. But Dobrow’s longtime friend Clarence Lederhos, who became trustee of Dobrow’s estate, knows the impetus behind the gift.

A Love for Music and for UCLA

“Somewhere along the way David took up the trumpet, and there was a certain point at which he discovered classical music, and he just fell in love with it,” says Lederhos. “I’d go to his house, and the music would be turned on loud, the whole house reverberating with gorgeous music, even when he became hard of hearing.”

Dobrow grew up in Beverly Hills and, according to Lederhos, loved his time as a Bruin. “He was incredibly proud he graduated from there,” he says.

That pride, his passion for music, and his philanthropic spirit have come together in perfect harmony to make sure classical music resounds at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

Published March 2016

Donor David Dobrow as a child with his trumpet

David Dobrow in his high school football photo