Kenneth Drake
Kenneth Drake was an early exponent of playing music of the classic period on pianos of that era, pursuing this in recitals and workshops for colleges and universities, local, state and national MTNA meetings, and series devoted to historical instruments, such as the Cambridge Early Music Society and the Michigan Mozart Festival. Teachers in the northern Illinois area regularly bring students to his home to see and play early pianos, among which are a copy of an Anton Walter fortepiano from c. 1800 and English Broadwoods from 1806, 1816 (the same model given to Beethoven in 1818), and 1860 (closely resembling the piano provided Chopin for his visit to England in 1848). A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the University of Illinois, he held teaching positions in Evansville College, Drake University and the University of Illinois from which he retired as professor emeritus. He is the author of The Beethoven Sonatas as He Played and Taught Them and The Beethoven Sonatas and the Creative Experience, published by Indiana University Press.
Jun-Hee Han
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Jun-Hee Han is a pianist, conductor, and writer whose work bridges performance, scholarship, and cultural history. As a traditional pianist, he has become an active performer on period instruments, including participation in the 2018 Historic Keyboard Association of North America conference, where he performed on an 1816 Broadwood piano identical to the one gifted to Beethoven by the London firm in 1818. He has conducted Mozart concertos from the fortepiano in residencies and guest appearances at Judson University (IL), Bob Jones University and Presbyterian College (SC), Weber State University (UT), and the University of Utah, and has led college orchestras in performances of Beethoven and Mozart across northern Illinois.
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Han has presented lectures and masterclasses at institutions nationwide, including Boston University, the University of Utah, Wheaton College, and Truman State University. He co-founded OMF Music Resources with Kenneth Drake to support music students through interdisciplinary residencies that integrate performance, scholarship, and pedagogy. His research explores Beethoven interpretation through fortepianos, visual art, and cultural history. His doctoral dissertation, “Performing Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op. 111, on the 1816 English Broadwood Pianoforte,” laid the foundation for his ongoing studies on Beethoven’s instruments and aesthetics. His upcoming video series, How to Start Beethoven Sonatas, bridges historical insight and modern artistry for students and educators alike. He recently launched his complete Beethoven Piano Sonata cycle, beginning with performances on a replica of an Anton Walter fortepiano.
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Han holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with a minor in German studies, and degrees from Indiana University and the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. He currently serves on the piano faculty at North Central College.
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