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DesignPhiladelphia

October 2010

DesignPhiladelphia Kicks OffDesignPhiladelphia logo

 

The sixth annual DesignPhiladelphia festival - one of the nation's largest design celebrations - kicks off Thursday, October 7 and runs through Sunday, October 17. A partnership with the University of the Arts, this year's event will feature work by more than 500 designers in more than 150 exhibitions, workshops, open studios, lectures, "street happenings," book signings and product launches.

Alumni Homecoming & Family Days: October 15-16 Ric Kidney

 

Alumni, parents, family and friends will be on campus October 15-16 for the annual Alumni Homecoming & Family Days, which features a variety of arts-related activities that highlight the talents of students and alumni. A keynote presentation will be given by alumnus Ric Kidney '75 (Photography/Film), whose producing credits include "Salt" and "Legally Blonde." Programs include open houses, educational sessions, alumni career panel discussions and two chances to see the Brind School's production of "The Seagull."

 

A full schedule of events is available online.

 

Ric Kidney walks the red carpet at the "Salt" premiere in Los Angeles.

'So You Think You Can Dance' Turns Singer and UArts Alumna Christina Perri into Overnight Christina PerriSensation 

Reality show "So You Think You Can Dance," renowned for popularizing artists like Katy Perry, OneRepublic and Lady Gaga, has another music success story with singer Christina Perri (right), a University of the Arts Communication alumna. After her ballad "Jar of Hearts" was featured on the June 30 show, the song quickly climbed the Billboard and iTunes charts, catapulting the 23-year-old into stardom. Perri was invited back to SYTYCD two weeks later to perform the song live, sending it even higher on the charts and landing the still-shocked songstress a recording deal with Atlantic Records. She is currently in the studio finishing up her debut album.
 
Dance Grad on Tour with Justin Bieber
Marvin Millora on stage with Justin Bieber

University of the Arts alumnus Marvin Millora '06 (Ballet) is living his dream. Currently on the road with teen star Justin Bieber as a back-up dancer, the hip-hop pro has also been teaching master classes at local dance studios along the tour, which wraps up December 23 in Atlanta. "I tell everyone, no matter where you come from, you can make it," he recently told Allentown, Pa.'s Morning Call before taking the stage with Bieber. "Just work hard and make smart decisions."

 
Marvin Millora, pictured in the purple shirt, dances on stage with Justin Bieber.
Animation Grads Dominate Film Fest Winners' List 

Five 2010 Animation graduates dominated the list of winners for the 10th annual Bucks Fever FilmFest, a juried festival of short films submitted by high schoStill from "Devil Town" by Victoria Cookol, college and emerging filmmakers. Victoria Cook's "Devil Town" took the prize for top College Music Video; Adriel Garcia's "The Tesla Experiment: Twain in Vain" was the College Animation winner; and College Animation Honorable Mentions went to Jessica Barnett for "The Kid and the Fish," Justin Cassano for "One, Two, Three!" and Camille Simeone for "Tonight Is the Night." The winning films will be screened October 10 at the County Theater in Doylestown, Pa.


Still from College Music Video winner "Devil Town."

'Z' Big Band To Be Featured Performers at 2010 Midwest Clinic

 

"Z" big Band

The University of the Arts "Z" Big Band, under the direction of Matt Gallagher, will be the featured college ensemble at the Midwest Clinic, one of the nation's premier events for music educators and performers, being held December 15-18 in Chicago. An international band and orchestra conference held annually since 1946, thousands of music directors, composers, music publishers and dealers from all 50 states and more than 30 countries will be in attendance. The "Z" Big Band has been invited to give the featured performance during the conference's College Night on December 16, at which representatives from more than 70 colleges and universities are able to connect with potential students from around the globe.
Faculty Member Joel Katz, Students Featured in 'Philadelphia Magazine'

 Student-designed PPA kiosk sign

University of the Arts faculty member Joel Katz, Adjunct Professor in the Graphic Design department, and students in his "Visualizing Information" class were featured in the August 2010 issue of Philadelphia Magazine for designing the Philadelphia Parking Authority's new parking kiosk signage. Katz's assignment: find and correct an example of ineffective design in Philadelphia. Three enterprising students jumped on the PPA's new and decidedly confusing parking kiosks, which had replaced the city's meters. Katz shared their much easier-to-understand prototypes with the PPA (right), resulting in the Parking Authority gradually replacing more than 1,100 of the old, confusing signs with the new student-designed signs. And, of course, the students got A's on the project.

Who Doesn't Love a Picture Book?: A Conversation with Alumnus Jerry Pinkney


Jerry Pinkney
The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents University of the Arts alumnus Jerry Pinkney '60 (Illustration) - artist, illustrator and the 2010 Caldecott Medal winner for his wordless adaptation of the Aesop fable The Lion & the Mouse - as he explores the creative process and lifelong connections between art and storytelling. A book signing will follow the lecture.

October 10, 3 p.m.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Van Pelt Auditorium
26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
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