EVENT: UTAH BUDDHIST ARTS FESTIVAL (2/17)

Please direct any event related media inquiries to the event director, Kagan Breitenbach at kaganbreitenbach@mac.com UTAH BUDDHIST ARTS FESTIVAL February 17th, 2013 Libby Gardner Hall – University of Utah 1375 East Presidents Circle Salt Lake City, UT 84112 Art exhibit begins at 5:00 PM Concert begins at 7:00 PM The Utah Buddhist Art Festival will feature an art display and evening concert bringing together many talented local artists and composers. The festival will include various forms of visual expression, music and dance, with all original pieces inspired by Buddhism. Event director Kagan Breitenbach has arranged an evening intended to celebrate and support local art, music, and dance all while helping to promote spiritual diversity in Utah. The art gallery will begin at 5:00 PM and will feature the artistic talents of Trent Alvey, E. Kay Barickman, David Costa, Matt Degardo, Jennifer Michelle Long, Eleanor Scholz, and Brock Thorne. Beginning at 7:00 PM local composers Kagan Breitenbach, James Guymon, Igor Iachmciuc, Tony Semerad, and Josie Twinting will have original compositions performed by local talent including University of Utah faculty members Vedrena Subotic and Ning and Jie Lu. The concert will also feature the dance talents of Eden Chase and Ankita Ray and the amazing drumming abilities of the Ogden Buddhist Taiko Group. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Urgyen Samten Ling Gonpa; a traditional Tibetan Buddhist temple located in Salt Lake City, Utah. When asked about his reason for organizing such an event, Kagan responded, “Over the past three years, my time has been dedicated to studying Music Composition at the University of Utah. During that time I also became interested in Buddhism. When it occurred to me to compose a piece based on my experiences with Buddhism, I became fascinated with the idea that others may be doing something similar with their own art. It didn't take long for me to find several other artist, musicians, and dancers who were similarly inspired by Buddhism. The idea for the Utah Buddhist Arts Festival was to offer an opportunity for artists inspired by Buddhism to exhibit their works, while at the same time benefiting a local group that tirelessly works to keep Buddhist traditions alive.”  For more information and a sneak preview of some of the displays, please visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/506297582713639/ Tickets can be purchased in advance by visiting: http://kaganbreitenbach.com/utah-buddhist-arts-festival/ or at the door the evening of the event for a suggested donation price of $10.