Ocean City Pops—The Orchestra

Summer Concerts at the Music Pier—2008 Schedule
For information, email us or call the Ocean City Music Pier at 609-525-9291

Orchestra Personnel

	Olga Konopelsky Violin, Concert Master Olga’s professional experiences include New York String Festival, Temple University Summer Festival, and Spoleto Festival. She has been a member of The Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra, Forrest Theater Orchestra, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, and The Opera Company of Philadelphia Orchestra. Her musical credits include St. Nicholas School, Hallahan High, The New School of Music, and The Curtis Institute. Musician instructors and coaches include Peter Prus, Jasha Brodsky, Arnold Steinhardt, Ivan Galamian, Sasha Schneider.
	Luigi Mazzochi Violin A winner of many prestigious awards in international competitions, Luigi played with the Lara Symphony, the Venezuelan Chamber Orchestra and the "Simon Bolivar" Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela. He has been with Temple Symphony Orchestra for four years as Concert Master; the Pennsylvania Ballet for two seasons, and the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Credits include Latin American Academy of Violin, Rowan University and a Masters from Temple University. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Performance. While he has toured Latin America, France, Spain, and Australia, he appreciates the friendly environment at rehearsals and concerts among the musicians, as well as, the great rapport between the orchestra and the public. He, his wife and one and a half year old son enjoy just about everything in Ocean City in the summer.
	Lucia J. Calabro Violin In her high school and college years, Lucia was concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra of Greater Philadelphia for seven years. She has always been an educator. She taught general music, string classes and organized Jr. and Sr. High orchestras at P.S. DuPont Jr./Sr. High School in Wilmington. She became a member of The Delaware Symphony Orchestra as Principal 2nd Violinist and in one season was promoted to 1st violin section where she played for 21 years. As a freelance violinist she joined the Delaware Musician’s Union, the Philadelphia Union, and that of Trenton, N.J. and the Atlantic City Union. As a member of these unions she performs in opera orchestras, symphonies, and theater orchestras. In her musical career, she has played for performing celebrities such as Tony Bennett, Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, Perry Como and Luciano Pavarotti. Her first loyalty is to the Ocean City Pops.
	Inna Nedorezov Principal 2nd Violin Her experience with other orchestras includes: Concertmaster of: The Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, Musica 2000 The Symphony Orchestra, and Pottstown Symphony Orchestra. She was principal 2nd violinist with Allentown Symphony Orchestra. Other groups include The Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra, Mozart Orchestra, Vox Ama Deus, and Prince Music Theatre. Inna has a Bachelor of Arts from the Leningrad State Conservatory in Russia. She has worked with Leningrad Philharmonic, Russia; the Ballet and Opera House, Russia. She was concertmaster of the Windsor Symphony, Ontario, Canada; has done solo and chamber music performances in Detroit, MI area. She toured with the Russian Chamber Orchestra to Austria; toured with the Danoff String Quartet throughout the U.S. in Maine, Iowa, and North Carolina.
	Sally Scheible Violin Music and art have always played an important role in Sally’s life. A graduate of Temple University, Sally studied violin under Helen Kwalwasser, as well as with Yumi Scott , Dave Arben and Leonard Mogill, all members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. As a newly married couple, Sally and Bill (Ocean City’s Maestro), both played in the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra of Maracaibo. Upon returning from South America, Sally continued to pursue her love of painting, ceramics, and glass taking courses at both the Tyler and Moore College of Arts in Philadelphia. Under Frank Ruggieri, Sally played as the first violin chair in 1980, and has been a regular member of the POPS for over 20 years. Her artwork has been exhibited in numerous galleries in the Philadelphia and Ocean City region. She has played for a variety of entertainers in Atlantic City over the years, among them Sammy Davis, Jr., Burt Bachrach, Luciano Pavarotti, Tony Bennett, Sarah Brightman, Barbara Mandrell, and Robert Goulet. Sally presently shares her love of the arts with her many students as a violin specialist in the Council Rock School District (Bucks County, PA).
	Sarah E. Geller Violin Sarah has a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from the Manhattan School of Music. She was the winner of Artists’ International Special Presentation Award, March 2001; New York Debut Solo Recital, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, June 2002; Solo Recital, Alumni Winners’ Series, Artists’ International, spring 2004; Trio recital at Steinway Hall, Aug. 2000. Sarah, a native of Farmington, Maine, began playing the violin at the age of four. She won her first competition at the age of ten. After graduating from high school, she relocated to New York City, where she received the Helen Airoff Dowling Award for "outstanding undergraduate violinist" As a recitalist and chamber musician, Sarah has performed at Steinway Hall, and St. Stephen’s Church in Manhattan. She has soloed with various orchestras and participated in summer music festivals of the Music National Orchestral Institute and the East-West International Festival. Currently free-lancing in the tri-state area, she continues studies with Joey Corpus. Former teachers have included Michael Gilbert, Patinka Kopec, Sylvia Rosenberg, Gregory Fulkerson, and Lawrence Golan.
	Marka Kasker-Simmons Viola Born in Philadelphia, Marka began her musical studies on the viola under a Ford Foundation Grant with Joseph dePasquale, former Principal Violist in the Philadelphia Orchestra. She studied with Mr. dePasquale at Temple University before transferring to Manhattan School of Music where she studied with Lillian Fuchs. After a few years as a free-lance musician in New York, she left to accept a position in Orquesta Sinfonica de Calapa (Mexico). After three seasons, she moved to south Texas. Now a member of the O.C. Pops, she also plays with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Bay-Atlantic Symphony, Musica 2000, Pottstown Symphony and Harrisburg Symphony. Ms. Kasker-Simmons is on the faculty of the Wilmington Music School and the Settlement Music School teaching violin and viola. She teaches both Suzuki violin and traditional violin.
	Anthony John Pirollo Cello Anthony received musical training at the Philadelphia Musical Academy. His teachers included William de Pasquale, Assistant Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Goerge Harpham, Assistant Principal Cello of the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1979-80, he toured Europe with the Spring Piano Trio. He was Solo Cellist with the Broadway Show, "The Elephant Man", 1980. He was the Principal Cellist with the Houston Opera for Jose Carreras in 1991. In 1993 he was Solo Cellist in Berlin and Paris for Merideth Monk’s "Atlas". He was also a composer for Melanie Stewart Dance.
	Charles dePasquale Cello Raised in a very musical family, Charles started cello at the age of nine with his uncle, Francis dePasquale. Other teachers included Samuel Mayes, Orlando Cole, William Stokking, Mihaly Virizlay. He has also studied the piano since age fourteen. His studies include: Bachelors Degree in Music Performance from the New School of Music (Philadelphia); graduate studies in Music Performance at Peabody Conservatory (MD) and Philadelphia College of Performing Arts; teacher certification from West Chester University (PA); and a Master’s Degree in Music Therapy from Immaculata University (Malvern, PA). His father and three uncles are former and current members of Philadelphia Orchestra. From 1984-89, Charles was a regular substitute with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He joined the Ocean City Pops as Principal Cellist, for one year, under the direction of Frank Ruggieri, and was Principal Cellist with the Allentown Symphony. He has played with: Delaware Symphony, Garden State Philharmonic, Trenton Symphony, Kennett Square Symphony, Philly Pops, and Concerto Soloists. He directs the West Chester District Senior Strings, which for five years, has given concerts on the Music Pier. A member of the faculty at Immaculata University, he directs the string ensemble and teaches cello.
	Laura Ruas Bass Laura has been with the O.C. Pops for two years. She has performed with the New World Symphony and the Baltimore Opera Orchestra. She is a substitute for the National Symphony Orchestra. Music credits include the High School of Performing Arts and a Master of Music from The Juilliard School. She has toured for UNICEF with Audrey Hepburn and Michael Tilson Thomas. Her tours included Europe, South America, Japan, and China.
	Jeffrey Uhlig Principal Keyboard Jeff has been with the Ocean City Pops for 15 years. He has a Masters of Music Degree in Piano Performance from West Chester University. Additional piano study was with William Masselos, Gaby Casadesus and Study of the Art Song Literature with Dalton Baldwin. He is Principal Keyboard with The Princeton Symphony. He holds The Lilian Kraus Felber Distinguished Faculty Chair in Piano at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia where he is Staff Accompanist and a Teacher. He has appeared as collaborative pianist in many concerts in North America with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, The New York Philharmonic, and the Metropolitan Opera, and has played at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and at The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. He has also performed in Russia.
	Pamela Whitman Flute Flutist and Producer Pamela Whitman is internationally recognized for bringing together people and cultures through her visionary style of interdisciplinary music-making and peace-making. A descendent of great American poet Walt Whitman, Pamela earned her degree in Flute Performance from the University of Michigan. She has been the Principal Flutist of The Ocean City Pops Orchestra since 1989. She performs classical, world music and original meditation music on a collection of rare flutes from around the world, incorporating multiple creative mediums and genres. The L. A. Xpress has described her concerts as “a unique blend of compassion, technique, style, cultural diversity and personality.”
	Steve Labiner Oboe Stephen, a member of the Ocean City Pops for twenty-two years, attended the Philadelphia Musical Academy and studied with Stevens Hewitt. He attended The Fellowship Program at Tanglewood. He studied with John DeLancie and John Holmes. He has played solo English Horn with the Detroit Symphony and Oboe and English Horn with the Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra. Steve performs with the Reading Symphony, Delaware Symphony, Harrisburg Symphony and the Opera Company of Philadelphia. He has toured throughout the U.S. and Canada with the National Ballet of Canada and the Pennsylvania Ballet. He performed at the Eastern Music Festival and has played solo performances on Public Radio. He does theater work in Philadelphia and also performs with his wife, harpist Sophie Bruno Labiner.
	Arne Running Clarinet Arne has a Bachelor of Music Degree with highest honors from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, as well as, a Masters in Music degree from Temple University. His list as professional instrumentalist includes summer seasons in Baltimore Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestra. He has been Principal Clarinet for Philly Pops, Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet Company, Riverside Symphonia, and of course, Ocean City Pops. Arne has been Music Director and Conductor for Swarthmore College Orchestra (1987-1997), Jenkintown Music School Chamber Orchestra (1978-87) and Old York Symphony Orchestra(1984-1996). He is a composer and his compositions are of great interest. Chorale and Capriccio for Band, Op.1 (1976) is among five of his works published by Shawnee Press, Inc. and they have been performed and recorded internationally. Of the twelve works listed, four have been commissioned for special events and are written to emphasize various special instruments.
	Andrea Herr Bassoon, Contra-Bassoon Andrea received her Bachelor of Music from the New England Conservatory, Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music and did post graduate work at the Juilliard School. In Spain, she was the Principal Bassoonist with the Orquestra Sinfonia de Galicia, and with the Opera Teatro de Galicia. She has performed with the American Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, Long Island Philharmonic and has toured with New York City Opera National Company. She also performed with Broadway productions of Phantom of the Opera, Into the Woods, and Beauty and the Beast. Credits include recording for TV commercials: Pepsi and Visa/Disney. As a chamber musician with the Dakota Wind Quintet, she premiered works by Keith Jarrett, Joan Tower, and Lalo Schifrin. Andrea is on the faculty of New Jersey City University.
	Robert P. Rynkiewictz French Horn A native of Philadelphia now living in Ocean City, he attended Settlement Music School where he studied with Anton Ryva (Horn) and Shirley Curtis (Woodwind Ensemble). He also studied with Joseph DeAngelis for Horn and graduated from the Philadelphia Music Academy. He studied Horn with Frederick Gabler and Roland Berger at the Universitat fur Musik und durstellende Kunst Wien,(Vienna) Austria. While living in Vienna, he performed in the following Orchestras: Austrian Radio Orchestra (ORF), Niederosterreich Tonkunstler Orchestre, Vienna Philharmonic, Theatre ‘An der Wien’, and Opernhaus Passau, Germany. He has worked at various casinos in the Atlantic City area since 1980. He is currently the Assistant Director and Head of Information Technologies at Atlantic City Free Public Library. He has a Masters in Library Science from Drexel University and specialized in Computer Science. He is an adjunct Faculty Member of the Atlantic Cape Community College, teaching computer science courses.
	James Hala Trumpet Jim has a long list of orchestral and ensemble experience. He is Director of Westminster Brass Quintet, which includes recordings and concerts throughout the U.S. and Canada. He is Principal trumpet and Soloist for the Ocean City Pops. He has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Opera Company of Philadelphia, and The Delaware Symphony Orchestra. He has been instructor and faculty member at various Universities and Colleges in the tri-state area. He participated in Riccardo Muti’s final tour with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1992, as well as, participated in the 1995 Proms Festival at Prince Albert Hall in London as part of the European Festival Tour with Philadelphia Orchestra.
	Steve Heitzer Trumpet A member of the O.C. Pops since 1986, Steve is also a regular member of the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and Reading Symphony; a frequent performer with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and the Delaware Symphony, as well as, guest soloist with the Wilmington String Ensemble. His Bachelor of Music Education is from Temple University, and his Masters Degree is from the Manhattan School of Music in Trumpet Performance. In addition to playing the trumpet, Steve’s other musical interest is arranging music. He has scored over 100 brass quartet arrangements, three were for the O.C. Pops and four for the Delaware Symphony. He has composed several works for brass quartet, as well as, solo trumpet and orchestra. He currently teaches at Valley Forge Military Academy and Jr. College.
	Cathy Bridge Trombone Cathy has Bachelor of Music and Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music and Education credits from Rowan University. She studied with Don Wittikind, former bass trombonist at the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, John Clark former bass trombonist of the Metropolitan Opera Company of New York, and John Swallos, Principal Trombonist of the New York City Ballet Company. Her touring included the Broadway Show, Cabaret, where she performed both on stage and in the pit orchestra; and the Broadway Show, Chicago. She also performed at the Paris Jazz Festival. In the past, she played with the Bel Canto Opera Co. of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. At present in the winter, she works with the Bay Atlantic Symphony and the Bob Ferris Swingtimers.
	Barry McCommon Bass Trombone Barry began his career while still enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music. His versatility has earned him respect as a “crossover” artist, performing in concert halls to clubs with anyone from The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia to the Jaco Pastorius Big Band to R&B legend Aretha Franklin. Bass Trombonist for The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, OperaDelaware, Ocean City Pops, Reading Symphony Orchestra, and Trombonist with Philly Transit Authority—A Tribute to Chicago, he’s also performed in wide-ranging musical circles from classical (Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra), jazz (City Rhythm Orchestra), R&B(Patti Labelle), to pop/rock (Peter Cetera) and many, many, more—a “who’s who” of Philly and Atlantic City.
	Mark O’Kain Percussion Mark has been with the Ocean City Pops Orchestra for six years. His Bachelor of Music is from the University of Tennessee and his Masters in Music is from Southern Methodist University. Mark is a former percussionist at Opryland, U.S.A. in Nashville, Tennessee. He also performed with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He is the founder and former director of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensemble. He was a member of "The President’s Own" United States Marine Band from 1994-98. Currently, he is the percussionist for the National Tour of "Les Miserables". Mark is currently active in recitals and orchestral music, performing frequently with Pops pianist, Jeff Uhlig. He is also Music Librarian for the Ocean City Pops and Personnel Manager.

	In Memory of Anthony G. Simmons