Mark O'Connor

Mark O'Connor (b. August 5, 1961, Seattle, Washington)
"One of the most spectacular journeys in recent American music." - The New York Times
"One of the most talented and imaginative artists working in music -- any music -- today." - The Los Angeles Times
"Brilliantly original." - The Seattle Times
"The audience was on its feet . . . They were moved by Mr. O'Connor's journey without maps, cheering for the only musician today who can reach so deeply first into the refined, then the vernacular, giving his listeners a complex, sophisticated piece of early-21st-century classical music and then knocking them dead with the brown-dirt whine of a Texas fiddle." - The New York Times
A product of America's rich aural folk tradition as well as classical music, Mark O'Connor's creative journey began at the feet of a pair of musical giants. The first was the folk fiddler and innovator who created the modern era of American fiddling, Benny Thomasson; the second, French jazz violinist, considered one of the greatest improvisers in the history of the violin, Stephane Grappelli. Working with classical violin icons Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Yehudi Menhuin and Pinchas Zukerman, he absorbed knowledge and influence from the multitude of musical styles and genres he studied and participated in. With his body of work including 45 feature albums of mostly his own compositions, Mark O’Connor has melded and shaped these influences into a new American Classical music, and a vision of an entirely American school of string playing.
RECORDINGS (over two-million CDs sold as a solo recording artist)
O'Connor's first recording for the Sony Classical record label, 'Appalachia Waltz', was a collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer. The works Mr. O'Connor composed for the disc, including its title track, gained him worldwide recognition as a leading proponent of a new American musical idiom. The tremendously successful follow-up release, 'Appalachian Journey', received a Grammy Award in February 2001.
With more than 250 performances, his first full length orchestral score "Fiddle Concerto" has become the most-performed modern violin concerto composed in the last 50 years. It was recorded for the Warner Bros label in 1995. Mr. O'Connor's 2nd concerto "Fanfare for the Volunteer" was recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Steven Mercurio, released by Sony Classical in October 1999. The Newark Star Ledger notes: "As a composer, he understands the power of a thematic transfiguration and development throughout a 40-minute work."
In April 2000, Mr. O'Connor premiered his fourth violin concerto, "The American Seasons: Seasons of an American Life," at Troy Music Hall in Troy, N.Y. According to the New York Times, "... if Dvorak had spent his American leisure time in Nashville instead of Spillville, Iowa, 'New World Symphony' would have sounded like this." The American Seasons was recorded with the Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra and released in 2001. Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe called the work "concise, lyrical and irresistibly rhythmic." Wayne Gay of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram said, "The American Seasons is destined to rank among the greatest masterpieces of American music...the first musical masterpiece of the 21st century."
In August 2000, Mr. O'Connor's third concerto, "Double Violin Concerto," received its premiere along with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg as soloist and the Chicago Symphony, Christoph Eschenbach conducting. In November 2003, Mr. O'Connor and Ms. Salerno-Sonnenberg recorded the work with Marin Alsop conducting the Colorado Orchestra. Fanfare enthusiastically writes: "All aficionados of the violin and all listeners in general will pass up this recording at their peril. The very highest commendation."
In 2001, Mr. O'Connor released Hot Swing!, a tribute to his great friend and mentor, the legendary French jazz master, Stephane Grappelli. Released on his own OMAC label, the CD was recorded live with Frank Vignola on guitar and Jon Burr on bass. The Chicago Tribune called it "one of the finest discs of his career and one of the greatest jazz violin albums ever." O’Connor’s “Jam Session” (4/13/10, OMAC), offers “dazzling” (Wall Street Journal) live acoustic recordings that combine bluegrass and gypsy jazz. Shore Fire Media describes it as being "comparable in its rhythmic intoxication and stratospheric solos with Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie/Bud Powell/ Charles Mingus/ Max Roach 'Jazz at Massey Hall.' Perhaps no better jam recordings have been captured on acoustic string instruments in recent memory." “Jam Session” features, in turn, Chris Thile (mandolin), Frank Vignola (guitar), Bryan Sutton (guitar), Jon Burr (bass) and Byron House (bass).
The "Americana Symphony: Variations on Appalachia Waltz" was recorded by Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony in 2009. David McGee of Barnesandnoble.com and Rolling Stone says "Americana Symphony" may well be regarded one day as one of this country's great gifts to the classical music canon, as well as being a pivotal moment in the rise of the new American classical music." The Associated Press reviewed Mr. O'Connor's Symphony as "a monumental work...inevitably will be compared to Copland."
Mr. O'Connor recorded his String Quartet No. 2 "Bluegrass" and String Quartet No. 3 "Old-Time". The quartets were recorded with chamber music greats Ida Kavafian, Paul Neubauer, and Matt Haimovitz and released in May, 2009. “The Improvised Violin Concerto” premiered in 2011 at Boston Symphony Hall and released the following year both on CD and DVD for OMAC Records is the first of its kind in violin history. Conductor of New York’s Sympho says, “It's utterly groundbreaking…a concerto like this is totally unplayable by the vast majority of conservatory grads.” Larry Livingston, Chair of Conducting at USC says, “he may have permanently changed the landscape for his magical instrument.”

“An Appalachian Christmas” by Mr. O’Connor was released in 2010 to both critical and commercial success. The project is enjoying its 5th nation-wide tour in December, 2015 featuring an additional Christmas DVD release of the touring group “Christmas Tour Live.” "All Christmas music should be played so elegantly on violin" - Boston Globe; "Elegant " - New York Times; "Heavenly" - Associated Press. In collaboration with his wife, violinist Maggie O’Connor, Mr. O’Connor has recently produced a CD of violin duos (OMAC-21) that he has arranged from American classics featured in the advanced books of the O’Connor Method? Book series. Bartók-Pásztory Award-winning violinist and professor Péter Kováts writes; “[O’Connor’s] unique and excellent settings will serve the same goal that Bartók’s Duos serve.”
PERFORMANCES AND RECORDINGS OF O'CONNOR PIECES BY OTHER ARTISTS
As word of his considerable compositional talents has spread, Mark O'Connor's musical works have been embraced by a variety of performers. Yo-Yo Ma has recorded the solo cello adaptation of "Appalachia Waltz" and Renee Fleming has performed and recorded vocal arrangements of O'Connor's music, and a new Christmas song to come out on an upcoming Holiday release by Mr. O'Connor. "Strings and Threads Suite" a duet that Mr. O'Connor composed for violin and guitar for guitarist Sharon Isbin recording, won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Performance. Mr. O'Connor performs with piano trio his "Poets and Prophets" composition, inspired by the music of Johnny Cash, often in a collaborative concert with Rosanne Cash, daughter of the legendary singer. The Eroica Trio commissioned the "Poets and Prophets" piano trio and in 2008 released it on the EMI Record label. Dance troupes, including Twyla Tharp Dance Co., the New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, are staging and choreographing Mr. O'Connor's lyrical American music, and O'Connor frequently collaborates with director Ken Burns for the sound tracks of his documentary films.
EARLY YEARS
At age 13, he was the youngest person ever to win the Grand Master Fiddler Championships competing against all ages, amateur and professional. Forty years later, his record still stands. Mr. O’Connor is still the only person to ever win national titles (open to all ages) on fiddle, bluegrass guitar and mandolin (Weiser, ID; Winfield, Kansas; Kerrville, TX). Mr. O’Connor won a record breaking six Country Music Association Musician Of The Year Awards in a row in Nashville, TN. At age 17 Mr. O'Connor played guitar as a member of one of the greatest acoustic string bands of the 1970s, the David Grisman Quintet. At age 19 he played violin and guitar alongside Steve Morse as a member of one of the greatest rock-fusion instrumental bands of the 1980s, The Dregs. In his twenties he was a member of one of the greatest acoustic bands of all time with four of the greatest players on their respective instruments, Strength in Numbers (with Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer). He also assembled two of the greatest Country bands of all time in 1989 and 1990 - The American Music Shop house band and New Nashville Cats. During his twenties, Mr. O'Connor became the most in demand session musician of any instrument and in any genre for a 3-year period, appearing on more top ten hits in the country, recording over 500 albums, and recording with everyone - Dolly Parton, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Randy Travis, The Judds, the list is too long to print.
EDUCATIONAL WORK
Mr. O'Connor regularly conducts three-day residencies, giving lectures, demonstrations, and workshops at a variety of music programs around the country. Some of his recent hosts include The Juilliard School, Harvard University, Berklee College of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Rice University, University of Maryland, University Of Texas, Curtis Institute, Eastman School of Music, Tanglewood, and Aspen Summer Festival. Mr. O'Connor was Artist-in-Residence at UCLA from 2008-2009 and at University of Miami from 2010-2015. Mr. O'Connor was the founder and president of the internationally recognized Mark O'Connor String Camp, and now is directing the O’Connor Method? Camp New York City.
O’Connor Band (Bio) :
O'Connor Band featuring Mark O'Connor L - R: Mark O'Connor, Maggie O'Connor, Kate Lee, Forrest O'Connor
Coming Home
Release Date: August 5, 2016

It’s 8:40 p.m. on a Friday evening, five minutes before the O’Connor Band is slated to make their Grand Ole Opry debut. Fiddle legend Mark O’Connor is standing just offstage, wearing his trademark Fedora hat, smiling at the sight of the crowd, the lights, and his old friends in the Opry house band.

“It’s amazing to come full circle and return here,” says O’Connor. “I first performed on this stage when I was 12. Even though it was more than 40 years ago, I’ll always vividly remember Roy Acuff introducing me to the crowd. But this performance might be even more special, because I get to have my family out there on stage with me.”

As if on cue, Mark’s son, Forrest, walks up in earnest.

“Dad, we may have a slight problem,” says the younger O’Connor, wielding a mandolin in his left hand and a pick in his right. “I just realized that both our songs are in [the key of] E. Is that okay, or do we need to swap one of them out?”

“Whoops,” says Mark. “Well, at this point, let’s stick with what we decided, because I think the songs are different enough. I bet the audience will love ‘em!”
Within minutes, the full six-piece O’Connor Band is out on stage, launching into a cover of the old Osborne Brothers hit, “Ruby, Are You Mad At Your Man?” Forrest’s fiancée, Kate Lee (vocals, fiddle), is singing lead, and Mark’s wife, Maggie (vocals, fiddle), is chopping rhythm on the fiddle hard enough that, if you weren’t looking, you might think she was playing a snare drum. Joe Smart (guitar) and Geoff Saunders (bass) are also holding down a tight groove despite the breakneck pace. After a virtuosic vocal performance from Kate and blistering solos from father and son O’Connor, the song ends abruptly, and the audience erupts in what seems to be the loudest applause of the entire evening.

Next, the band plays “Coming Home,” a song penned by Forrest while out on the road with his dad during one of their “Appalachian Christmas” tours a couple years prior. It’s an uptempo, feel-good, almost anthemic tune about coming home to a loved one after months of travel. All the band members, including Mark, join in on harmony vocals for the last two choruses, and the audience eats it up.

And just like that, the set is over. The O’Connors exit stage right and shake hands with some of the other performers and staff before heading back to the dressing room.

“I think it’s bedtime,” says Maggie as she puts her fiddle in her case. “We need to be on the road at like 5 a.m. because we have two shows at Dollywood tomorrow afternoon!”
Family bands obviously have significant historical precedent, especially in bluegrass and country music (think The Carter Family, The Stonemans, The Whites, even The Band Perry), but it’s rare to find one this versatile, and with such a diverse background and story.

Mark himself has the name that fans of many different musical styles will immediately recognize. A former child prodigy and national champion on the fiddle, guitar, and mandolin, Mark has won his share of Grammys and CMA Awards, and has collaborated with a dizzying array of iconic artists, including Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Randy Travis, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, and Yo-Yo Ma. He has also written numerous violin concertos, which he has performed with hundreds of major symphony orchestras around the world. In addition to performing, he has authored a groundbreaking and now best-selling instructional method for strings, The O’Connor Method. Hailed by The New York Times as having followed “one of the most spectacular journeys in recent American music,” O’Connor’s career has been unique and inspirational.
“I’ve recorded on at least 500 albums,” says O’Connor, “but I have to say, there are very few, if any, that I’ve been as proud of as this O’Connor Band album. With the help of Grammy winners Gregg Field [co-producer] and Neal Cappellino [chief engineer], we’re bridging the gap between progressive bluegrass, country, and indie folk and yet creating something that is also very commercially viable.”

Throughout the 12-song album, which will be released August 5, 2016 on Rounder Records (the first label Mark signed with at age 12), the O'Connor Band draws upon a deep well of talent and tradition to make music whose sonic and emotional appeal transcends time and genre, demonstrating an effortless rapport that underlines the group's family roots as well as its prestigious collective pedigree.

The title of the record apparently didn’t require much deliberation: Coming Home, named after Forrest’s song, was the obvious choice, as it reflects the arc of his dad’s career and the meaning of this album so aptly.
Forrest himself waited a long time before deciding to follow his father’s footsteps. Growing up in Nashville and Montana, he dabbled in guitar and mandolin until enrolling at Harvard University, where, despite the heavy academic workload, he managed to squeeze in time to practice mandolin late nights in the basement of his dorm building. After graduating summa cum laude and foregoing an invitation to attend Harvard Business School, Forrest co-founded and worked at a video tech startup, Concert Window, before deciding to pursue music as a career in early 2014. Within two months of moving from Boston back to his hometown of Nashville, he won the Tennessee State Mandolin Championship and began touring full-time with O’Connor Band co-lead singer and fiancée, Kate Lee.
“I’m what you might call a late bloomer,” Forrest says with a laugh. “But I was around so much music growing up that this way of life feels very natural to me. And our album has to be what, number 50 or something that my dad’s released as a featured artist? It’s my first full album, but I don’t think it will sound like it. This band is a natural extension of what I have always loved about music and music-making. It’s coming along at a time when we can combine our different sensibilities to create something that will hopefully resonate with the bluegrass and country audiences and beyond.”

Two of Forrest’s original songs on the album, “What Have I Been Saying?” and “I Haven’t Said I Love You In A While”, are probably not what one would consider straight-ahead bluegrass. Both are slow- to mid-tempo duets with Kate, and they feature winding, occasionally chromatic melodies, adventurous chord progressions, and lush string textures. Although very personal, both songs draw upon the songcraft of the top country writers of the ‘80s and ‘90s, which is refreshing in this acoustic context.

“It’s a pretty cool thing to contribute to the wonderful musical traditions of bluegrass and country while also trying to build on it,” Kate adds. “I grew up listening to Mark and being inspired by his music, long before I ever knew that he had a son that I’d be engaged to. It turns out that Forrest and I have similar writing sensibilities, which is one of the reasons we hit it off so well after we met.”
The chemistry Kate and Forrest have developed together over the last couple years as vocalists and writers is evident both onstage and on the new recording. Kate’s journey to this point, however, is perhaps more similar to Mark’s than Forrest’s. Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Kate became the leader of her own band, Kate Lee & No Strings Attached, at age 12, and she won several state and regional songwriting contests in the ensuing years. Soon after moving to Nashville to study commercial violin performance at Belmont University, she began performing behind a number of the biggest names in country music, including Martina McBride, Lady Antebellum, Vince Gill, Jennifer Nettles, and Rascal Flatts. She also formed an unlikely but highly productive songwriting partnership with Pat Alger (Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Nanci Griffith), and a couple of their songs appear on the O’Connor Band album.

“The songs Kate and Pat wrote – especially ‘Blacktop Boy’ – are so accessible,” says Maggie. “That one in particular sounds like a radio single to me, and Kate’s singing on it is so powerful. But honestly, it’s hard to choose favorites on this album. The music is diverse yet so cohesive. I think that’s because we have such a good camaraderie. Of course, having a band with two couples is unique, but in some ways our very different backgrounds contribute to the cohesion. It’s like we are each inspired by each other’s journeys to this point because, in spite of being a family, we all followed different paths to get here.”
Maggie, who sings both lead and background vocals in addition to playing violin for the O’Connor Band, is the only core member of the band with a higher academic degree, having earned a Master of Music in violin performance from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. After growing up playing and singing country, bluegrass, and jazz with her own family band in a small town outside Atlanta, GA, she underwent years of intense Russian School classical violin training, but she never lost her yearning to play American styles. In 2014, while still considering pursuing an orchestral career, she reached out to Mark – whom she had never met – about setting up a fiddle lesson during a trip to New York City, where Mark was living at the time.

“I’ll put it this way: That lesson changed a few things!” exclaims Maggie.

Within weeks, Maggie began performing with Mark both domestically and abroad, including with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and at the Leopold Auer Academia in Hungary and the Berlin Konzerthaus in Germany. But perhaps no performance meant as much as one they played November of that year – at their own wedding.

Maggie’s ability to blend tonally with her husband is startling; indeed, it literally sounds like they are one violinist sometimes. Fortunately, given Mark’s command as an arranger, the two are able to harness the beauty of their blend often, especially on Mark’s versions of the driving Bill Monroe classic, “Jerusalem Ridge” and the bouncing, energetic traditional tune, “Fisher’s Hornpipe,” as well as in his majestic original composition, “Fiddler Going Home.” All three of these songs appear on Coming Home.
“Playing with Maggie is so effortless and invigorating,” says Mark. “I’m not just saying this because she’s my wife – I’ve really never enjoyed playing with another violinist this much. But honestly, that’s how it is with Forrest and Kate as well. I’ve played with many of the top female singers in my time, and there are really none better than Kate – she is just that good. And Joe and Geoff have to be two of the best sidemen on the bluegrass scene today. Who knows? Maybe they’re related to us too somehow.”

Joe, a former National Flatpick Guitar Champion, and Geoff, a DMA candidate in Bass Performance from the University of Miami, grew up listening to Mark’s music, so perhaps the chemistry with them should come as no surprise.

“Joe’s playing on Coming Home has to be one of the best bluegrass guitar performances of the year,” Mark says. “And our co-producer, Gregg Field, praised Geoff as having the best bass sound he’d ever gotten on record. Pretty amazing stuff for players who haven’t been on the scene that long yet!”

The truth is that all six musicians possess impressive multi-instrumental abilities that allow the group to explore a wide range of musical configurations. The three-violin lineup is unique amongst contemporary ensembles. The virtuosic playing competes with any bluegrass band out there. The songs (described as “modern-day classics” by Field) hold their own with anything you’ll hear on a Friday or Saturday night at The Bluebird Café in Nashville. Coming Home may be one of the most impressive debut albums released by any bluegrass band in a long time.
Back at the Opry, Mark smiles and shakes his head after walking offstage.

“That might have been the fastest we’ve ever played Ruby,” he laughs. “Whew! I forgot how much I loved playing here. It definitely feels like I’m coming home.”