Jeffrey Uhlig, piano and
Mark O’Kain, marimba and xylophone
Friday, February 9, 7:00 PM
Classics, Tangos, Ragtime and Broadway
Mark O’Kain, marimba and xylophone
Mark O'Kain is Principal Percussionist with The Ocean City POPS Orchestra in Ocean City, New Jersey. In addition, Mark is the orchestra's Personnel Manager and Music Librarian.
He is also very active in the music theater world. In the 2013-2014 season he was percussionist on the National Tour of “Porgy and Bess”. Recently he toured all over North America for several seasons with “Mary Poppins”. He played drums and percussion for the U.S. tour of "Edward Scissorhands" and he played an entire touring season of “My Fair Lady”. For seven years Mark played for the national tour of "Les Miserables". He has played the National Tour of “The King and I” and recently completed a one year on tour with “My Fair Lady”. Recently Mark completed the National Tour of Sondheim’s “Into the Woods”.
Mark was a member of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band from 1994-1998. During that time he played frequently at the White House, went on three national tours, and was active in the Band's Chamber Recital Program Series. As a former member of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, he established and directed the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensemble. He worked for eight seasons as Staff Percussionist at Opryland, USA in Nashville, TN. Mark received the Master of Music Degree from Southern Methodist University.
Jeffrey Uhlig, Pianist
Jeffrey Uhlig has appeared as collaborative pianist in many concerts in America and also has performed in Russia. Some of his notable performances have been at The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC and at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York. After a joint recital at Weill Recital Hall, Tim Page of The New York Times wrote: "Mr. Uhlig...proved a Mozartean of poise and elegance." His longtime collaboration with Metropolitan Opera Mezzo Soprano Barbara Dever has earned him great praise from Robert Baxter of The Camden Courier Post who wrote; "Throughout the recital, pianist Jeffrey Uhlig enfolded Dever's voice with warm-toned accompaniments. Uhlig played commandingly throughout the recital." He plays regularly with many members of The Philadelphia Orchestra including Concert Master David Kim, Principal Cellist, Hai-Ye Ni and Principal Trombonist, Nitzan Haroz.
Mr. Uhlig studied piano with William Masselos and Gaby Casadesus and studied art song literature with Dalton Baldwin. He received a Master of Music Degree from West Chester University.
Jeffrey Uhlig has performed with many outstanding singers and instrumentalists including many members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, The New York Philharmonic and The Metropolitan Opera. He is in demand as a chamber music player and accompanist and is a faculty member at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia where he holds The Lillian Kraus Felber Distinguished Faculty Chair in Piano. For many years Mr. Uhlig was Principal Keyboard with The Ocean City Pops Orchestra and Princeton Symphony Orchestra.