In a ceremony that included entertainment, video tributes and impassioned commentary on the arts, the Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County (AC5) bestowed honors on four individuals and two institutions for their contributions to the cultural life of the region.

The event, held October 17, marked the ninth year that AC5 has formally recognized individuals and organizations for achievement in their respective fields and the arts in general.

It was the first time the ceremony took place in a theater-The Willows in Concord. In the past, the event was held in ballroom-like settings.

Mark DeSaulnier, member of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, extended greetings to the audience and appreciation to the honorees. Each received a glass trophy from AC5 and resolutions from the supervisors and the State Legislature.

The careers of each honoree and the work of the two institutions were profiled in video tributes. Entertainment was provided by performers associated with each honoree, and included the orphans who will be appearing in the Willows' forthcoming production of "Annie." Other performers included Keith Barlow and Bobbie Duncan, who sang "The Last Night of the World" from "Miss Saigon;" Steven Lehning, who performed a solo on the viola da gamba; Peter Maund, who provided a percussion demonstration, and John Pangia and Martha Rosenberg, who played a selection for clarinet and flute.

The Filipiniana Dance Troupe, attired in colorful costumes, represented the Pittsburg Arts Collaborative, one of two organizations that received awards. The collaborative is a volunteer organization dedicated to provide and promote the arts throughout East Contra Costa County. Activities include art and crafts exhibits and cultural events such as torch song and doo-wop competitions, celebrations of ethnic holidays, summer art shows, and free movies. The Town Hall Theatre Company of Lafayette won the Special Commission Award, in honor of their 60th season of live performances in Contra Costa County.

The other honorees are:

• Duane Carroll, of Walnut Creek, since 1981 the musical director, conductor and founder of the acclaimed Contra Costa Wind Symphony, and founder and first conductor of the Contra Costa Jazz Band in 1999. Until his retirement earlier this year, he was an educator and administrator in the Acalanes and Mt. Diablo school districts. He was a visual and performing arts director in the Diablo district.



• Angene Feves, of Pleasant Hill, nationally and internationally recognized dancer and dance historian; arts educator and arts leader in Contra Costa County for more than 40 years. In the Sixties, she helped develop the Richmond Ballet and established a dance program in Walnut Creek's renowned Civic Arts Education program.



• Andrew Holtz, of Martinez, managing director of the Willows Theater in Concord, which he joined in 1987 as development director. Since 1990, he has become an award-winning director of plays and musicals and a guiding force in developing The Willows as a successful regional theater. He is also an expert in computer music technology and arts marketing.



• Barrett Lindsay-Steiner, of Walnut Creek, an actor, singer, producer, director, playwright, teacher and, as colleagues point out, an overall "creative genius." For 15 years his focus has been on youth theater activities, including Starstruck, a young people's theater group of the Diablo Light Opera Company. His work has influenced hundreds of children for whom he has written and produced more than 60 musicals.

Recipients of AC5's awards for achievement in the arts were (left to right) Duane Carroll, Andrew Holtz, Angene Feves, Dennis Erokan (in behalf of the Town Hall Theatre of Lafayette) and Martin Tucker, representing the Pittsburg Arts Collaborative. Another honoree, Barrett Lindsay-Steiner, was in Europe. His award was accepted by his stepmother.

The Filipiniana Dance Troupe performs "Tinikling," the National Dance of the Phillipines, in honor of the Pittsburg Arts Collaborative.