Sandy & Friends: Beethoven’s Sonatas

Beethoven’s sonatas are the feature of this episode of Sandy & Friends as Dr. Sandra Dackow talks to pianist Ken Osowski, Hershey Symphony French horn player Al Stokes, and Hershey Symphony cellist Dr. Mike Rusli. About or guests:

Pianist Kenneth Osowski maintains an active career as both performer and educator. Osowski has performed chamber music at the Tanglewood Music Center, where he was recipient of a 2005 TMC Fellowship; Yellow Barn, where he was a three-time festival participant; Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall; and the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Reno Chamber Orchestra, the Hershey Symphony, and the University of Nevada Orchestra, and the York Symphony Orchestra, with whom he serves as principal pianist. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with the Jupiter, Lydian, and Parker String Quartets, Apollo Chamber Players, Mobius Percussion, and the Mark Morris Dance Group. Since the fall of 2007, Osowski has served as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Piano and Music Theory Studies at York College of Pennsylvania, where he also served as Chair of the Department of Communication and the Arts from 2014-2019. In addition, he has served on the music theory faculties of the Peabody Conservatory and Johns Hopkins University. Osowski earned a doctoral degree from Peabody, a master’s degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a bachelor’s degree from Yale University.

Dr. Rusli practiced Emergency Medicine for 38 years most recently at Wellspan Good Samaritan in Lebanon since 1992 and just retired this year. He has played the cello since age 11 when his Dad signed him up for group lessons with a fine cello teacher at his elementary school in Hong Kong. He has been an active member of the Hershey Symphony since 1992 along with his wife Ann who plays violin. For about 15 years, he has been running the Young Artist Competition for the HSO enjoying the wonderful young musicians of Central Pa. His wife Ann had been very active to help organize the Hershey Symphony Gala, the last one being held in 2019. Dr. Rusli is an avid chamber music aficionado. He regularly attends chamber music camps, and plays locally with his friends who share my passion. Both his grown up boys play the violin and one of them is a professional composer.

Alan “Al” Stokes attended West Chester University as a Music Education candidate majoring in French horn, and has attended master classes with Barry Tuckwell and Richard Todd. Mr. Stokes has performed with the Allentown, Pottstown, Schuylkill and Hershey Symphonies as well as the Ringgold Band and Allentown Band. He is presently principal horn with the Reading Pops Orchestra, and has recorded and performed with The Sacred Orchestra with Dave Stahl as well as the Dave Stahl Big Band. Mr. Stokes has performed with such notables as The Reading Ballet, Boston Brass, Michael W Smith, Doc Severinsen, David Benoit, and Chuck Mangione. He also freelances with numerous other groups and ensembles in the east/central Pennsylvania area. Mr. Stokes resides in Mt. Gretna with his wife, Kay.