Sandy & Friends: Beethoven’s Concertos

In this episode of Sandy & Friends, Dr. Sandra Dackow talks with two musicians who have performed with The Hershey Symphony Orchestra about the significance of Beethoven’ music, especially his concertos. The discussion was held in recognition of Beethoven’s 250th birthday on December 16.

About our Guests: 

Dr. Eric Fung, a Bach Prize Winner from the J. S. Bach Competition in Leipzig, Germany, has performed in international festivals and given masterclasses in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has also adjudicated competitions in Israel, Spain, Hong Kong, and the US. The New York Times praised his pianism for being “mature, refined, and elegant.” He was also described by the New York Concert Review as a pianist with a musical persona akin to Rudolph Serkin. The Hong Kong Economic Review called him “unique among the contemporary Chinese pianists, for the aesthetic of his music can be traced back to the study and passion for Bach’s works.” A native of Hong Kong, Dr. Fung hold degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the Juilliard School, and is an Associate Professor of Piano at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, USA. He is a Steinway Artist. 

Since his critically acclaimed Lincoln Center debut in 1993, the American violinist Odin Rathnam has established himself as one of the most passionate and versatile artists of his generation. He has received unanimous praise from critics and audiences for his “captivating temperament,” “brilliant technique” and a sound “recalling the legendary violinists of the past”. A veteran performer at many major European and American festivals including the Algarve International Music Festival in Portugal, Denmark’s Tivoli and Vendsyssel Festivals, Deia International Festival in Mallorca, Boswil Festival in Switzerland, Aspen, Caramoor and Endless Mountain Music Festivals, he has also appeared in recital on the Market Square Concerts series, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Recital Hall, where he first appeared at the age of 15. Mr. Rathnam’s recordings can be found on The Helikon, West Branch and Kleos labels, with works by Mendelssohn, Vivaldi, Strauss and Schoenberg. Mr. Rathnam performs exclusively on the “Lady Caren” violin, a bench copy of a 1755 Calvarola built in 2009 by master luthier Scott W. Hershey, and purchased by an anonymous patron.