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De Anza College News Release

FOR RELEASE:
March 2, 2009

CONTACT:
Marisa Spatafore
spataforemarisa@deanza.edu
408.864.8672

Lois Jenkins
jenkinslois@deanza.edu
408.864.8948

VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS CENTER GRAND OPENING SLATED FOR MARCH 6-8
Ribbon-cutting, Exhibition, Musical and Dance Performances Featured

CUPERTINO -- The grand opening of the De Anza College Visual & Performing Arts Center will be held March 6-8 and will include the official ribbon-cutting, performances by lauded pianist Howard Na, the De Anza Wind Ensemble and the award-winning Shri Krupa Dance Company, and the exhibition "Looking Back, Looking Ahead" at the Euphrat Museum of Art.

"We are incredibly proud to unveil this building to the community so generous as to provide its funding," said De Anza President Brian Murphy. "We hope the community will view the Visual & Performing Arts Center as a unique resource for the diverse arts in Silicon Valley." The construction of the 20,485-square-foot building -- which faces outward on Stevens Creek Boulevard, toward the community -- was largely funded by the Measure E bond approved by voters in 1999, as well as a donation by Franklin P. and Catherine H. Johnson.

The state-of-the-art Visual & Performing Arts Center features a 400-seat lecture and performance hall and adaptable and technologically advanced learning spaces, including indoor and outdoor classrooms and a 2,000-square-foot exhibit hall that is the new home of the Euphrat Museum of Art. LEED-silver certification will be sought for the building.

Details on the grand opening festivities follow:

Friday, March 6

10 a.m. — Ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Cupertino Mayor Orrin Mahoney, Foothill-De Anza trustee Betsy Bechtel, Arts Council Silicon Valley Executive Director Bruce Davis and other dignitaries

Immediately following: Building tour and an opportunity to view "Looking Back, Looking Ahead" at the Euphrat Museum of Art

The exhibition explores the growth of Silicon Valley through visual media and shared narratives and features renowned artist Paul Pei-Jen Hau, whose watercolor and ink paintings have been shown at the San Jose Museum of Art and the De Young Museum and for whom the Hau Bei Ren Museum in Kunshan, China, was named. Hau, 91, resides in Los Altos and has taught locally for more than 50 years. Other artists featured in "Looking Back, Looking Ahead" include Agnes Pelton, Thai Bui, Rene Yung, Angela Buenning Filo, Consuelo Jimenez Underwood, Charisse Domingo, Mike Arcega, Shorty Fatz, Samuel Rodriguez, Matthew Rodriguez and others. The exhibition runs through April 16.

8-9 p.m. — Piano concert by Howard Na
At the age of eight, Howard Na was awarded a full music scholarship to the Yong-Fu Music Academy in his native Taiwan. After his family moved to the United States, Na enrolled in the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Each year he studied at the conservatory, he was recognized as a musician with "Honorary Distinction," and at 13, was the youngest student ever to finish the certified programs in the Preparatory Division. Na studied for five years with instructor Anna Poklewski at De Anza College and is currently in the master's program at the University of Miami. He has made numerous public appearances since his first at age 11 and has peformed and won honors in numerous competitions, including the Music Teachers' Association of California, Russian Music Competition, University of Miami Concerto National Chopin Competition and the International Chopin Piano Competition.

Saturday, March 7

7:30-9:30 p.m. — Concert by the De Anza Wind Ensemble
This student group will be conducted by De Anza instructor John Russell.

Sunday, March 8

3-4:30 p.m. — Performance by the Shri Krupa Dance Company SOLD OUT
The 32-year-old Shri Krupa Dance Company was the first Bharatanatyam (South Indian classical) dance school in the Bay Area. Its artistic director, Vishal Ramani, was featured in a KQED "Spark" segment focusing on Indian culture and tracing the history and teaching techniques of Bharatanatyam. In 2008, Shri Krupa students won gold and silver trophies in the International Dance Grand Prix in Barcelona, Spain, as well as a prestigious award in Chennai, India, for most outstanding performance in the Youth category.

All performances are free of charge, but due to limited seating, RSVP is required. Call 408.864.8709.

De Anza College consistently ranks as one of the top institutions in California in transferring students to the UC and CSU systems. The college provides an average of 24,000 students each quarter with general education and vocational courses as well as interdisciplinary studies, community service opportunities, on-the-job-training, internships, collaborative programs with businesses and industries, and online and television classes. Read more about De Anza at www.deanza.edu. For more about the Euphrat Museum of Art at De Anza College, visit http://www.deanza.edu/euphrat.

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