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Mark O'Connor

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For other people named Mark O'Connor, seeMark O'Connor (disambiguation).
Mark O'Connor
O'Connor on stage at the 1985 Cambridge Folk Festival
O'Connor on stage at the 1985Cambridge Folk Festival
Background information
Born(1961-08-05)August 5, 1961(age 63)[1]
Mountlake Terrace, Washington,U.S.
GenresCountry,bluegrass,jazz,classical
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, teacher, author
Instrument(s)Violin, fiddle, guitar, mandolin
Years active1974–present
LabelsRounder,Warner Bros.,Sony Classical Records
Websitemarkoconnor.com

Mark O'Connor(born August 5, 1961) is an Americanfiddleplayer, composer, guitarist, and mandolinist whose music combinesbluegrass,country,jazzandclassical.A three-timeGrammy Awardwinner, he has won sixCountry Music Association Musician Of The Yearawards and was a member of three influentialmusical ensembles:theDavid Grisman Quintet,The Dregs,andStrength in Numbers.[2]

O'Connor has released 45 albums, of mostly original music, over a 45-year career. He has recorded and performed mostly his original American Classical music for decades. An expert at traditionally-based fiddle and bluegrass music, he also plays other instruments proficiently, including the violin, guitar and mandolin.[3]He has appeared on 450 albums, composed nine concertos and has put together groundbreaking ensembles. His mentors have includedBenny Thomasson[4]who taught O'Connor to fiddle as a teenager, French jazz violinistStéphane Grappelli[5]with whom O'Connor toured as a teenager, and guitaristsChet Atkins,Doc WatsonandSteve Morse.[6]

Early life

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O'Connor was born and raised in the suburb ofMountlake Terrace, Washington,where his father was a construction worker and his mother was a dance teacher.[7]His mother insisted that he learn to play the guitar at the age of five and, by the age of ten had taught himself to play theFlamenco guitar.[7]As an eight-year-old in 1969, O'Connor watched fiddle playerDoug Kershawperform the song "Diggy Liggy Lo"onThe Johnny Cash Show,leaving such an impression on him that he begged his parents to purchase him a fiddle for the next three years before they finally gave him one for his eleventh birthday.[8][9]

In 1973, O'Connor's mother drove him and his little sister from Seattle to Nashville, Tennessee, where a local friend suggested that he might be allowed to play at the Picking Parlour.[9]His performance at the Picking Parlour left the local audience stunned that a twelve-year-old knew so many old-time fiddle songs.[9]A couple of days later, he made hisGrand Ole Oprydebut, introduced byRoy Acuff,and became the youngest musician to sign a recording contract withRounder Records.[9]

O'Connor won national titles on the fiddle, guitar, and mandolin as a teenager.[10][11]In 1975, at the age of thirteen, O'Connor won theWSM (AM),Tennessee,andGrand Ole Oprysponsored Grand Masters Fiddle Championships inNashville, Tennessee,against amateur and professional competitors of all ages.[11][12]That same year he won another national championship on acoustic guitar, at theNational Flat Pick Guitar ChampionshipinWinfield, Kansas.[11][13]

After graduating from theMountlake Terrace High Schoolin 1979, O'Connor joined theDavid Grisman Quintetas the replacement for guitar player,Tony Rice,and went out on tour with Stephane Grappelli with whom he performed atCarnegie Hallwhen he was only seventeen-years-old.[7][8][11]As a teenager, he was also a member of the seminal instrumental group The Dregs, previously known asDixie Dregs.[10]At age 19, He won theBuck WhiteInternational Mandolin Championship inKerrville, Texas.[14]He is a four-time grand champion (1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984) at theNational Oldtime Fiddlers' ContestinWeiser, Idaho.[15]Several of his teenage albums are noteworthy and inspired a generation of young acoustic musicians, such as "Pickin' In The Wind", "A Texas Jam Session", "Markology" and "False Dawn".

Musical career

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O'Connor composes, arranges, and records American music in genres that include folk, classical, and jazz. His works include concertos, and compositions fororchestra,string quartets,string trios,choral music,solo unaccompanied pieces, folk and bluegrass ensemble and asymphony(seeCompositions). After releasing six albums as a teen onRounder Records,O'Connor signed a long term record deal withWarner Bros. Recordsin Nashville. He released a series of instrumental albums such as "Elysian Forest" and "On The Mark" as well as teaming up withBela Fleck,Sam Bush,Jerry DouglasandEdgar Meyerfor "Strength In Numbers". His first award winning albums that catapulted him into the international stage include "New Nashville Cats" and "Heroes" both released onWarner Bros.

O'Connor's "Fiddle Concerto (1992)", aviolin concertoinAmerican fiddle stylecommission by theSanta Fe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus,has been performed over 250 times, making it one of the most performed concertos written in the last 50 years.[16]The recording of the concerto was conducted byMarin Alsopand "Concordia Orchestra".

In 1993, O'Connor teamed up withCharlie Danielsto record a sequel to Daniels' 1979 single "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"entitled" The Devil Comes Back To Georgia ". O'Connor and Daniels recorded the song alongsideJohnny Cash,Marty StuartandTravis Tritt.The song was on O'Connor's album,Heroes.Between 1995 and 2000, O'Connor teamed up withYo-Yo MaandEdgar Meyerto release "Appalachia Waltz" and "Appalachian Journey" spending nearly 2 years at the top of the classical music Billboard charts.

In 1996, O'Connor composedThe Olympic Reelfor the closing ceremonies of the1996 Summer OlympicsinAtlanta,Georgia.[17]It premiered in front of 100,000 people atCentennial Olympic Stadium,as well as 3.5 billion people from the television viewing audience.[18]

In 1997, O'Connor and others composed and performed music based on folk melodies as arrangements for theAmerican Revolutionary War-eraPublic Broadcasting Servicedocumentary miniseries,Liberty! The American Revolution(the companion album isLiberty!). Thetheme musicfor the miniseries is O'Connor'sSong of the Liberty Bell.[19]

In 1999, he recorded hisFanfare For The Volunteerwith theLondon Philharmonic Orchestrafor Sony Classical,[20]and one of his most critically acclaimed orchestral piecesAmerican Seasons,which alludes toThe Four Seasons (Vivaldi),for Sony Classical[21]as well. "American Seasons", and his "Strings & Threads" Suite (1986) was performed by The Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra in 2001 at the Great Performers concert atLincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

In a review byThe New York Times,"if Dvorak had spent his American leisure time in Nashville instead ofSpillville, Iowa,hisNew WorldSymphony might have sounded like this. "[22]Both "Strings & Threads" Suite and "American Seasons" were recorded for the albumThe American Seasons,released in 2001 on the label OMAC Records.[23]In 2008 O'Connor paired up with violinistNadja Salerno-Sonnenbergto record his "Double Violin Concerto" withMarin Alsopand theColorado Symphony Orchestrafor OMAC Records.

Over a period of five years, O'Connor teamed up with jazz musiciansFrank VignolaandJon Burrfor a trilogy of "Hot Swing Trio" albums dedicated to his mentorStephane Grappelli.O'Connor recordedThirty-Year Retrospectivein 2003 with the mandolinistChris Thile,guitaristBryan Sutton,and bassist Byron House.[24]It celebrates his thirty years as a recording artist on his own OMAC label. He also provided the soundtrack to a 30-minute animated film on the story ofJohnny Appleseed(and released the music on his 1992 albumJohnny Appleseed), narrated byGarrison Keillor.He contributed four tracks to a 1993 album on the theme ofThe Night Before Christmas,narrated byMeryl Streep.

His composition, Appalachia Waltz (appearing on the album of the same title), has been adopted by Yo-Yo Ma as part of his live performance repertoire.[25]One of his chamber music efforts is his piano trio entitled Poets and Prophets which is inspired by his boyhood heroJohnny Cash.O'Connor andRosanne Cashunited in double bill concerts for premiering their collaboration. The piece was recorded by theEroica Trio.

On April 28, 2009, O'Connor teamed with chamber musiciansIda Kavafian,Paul NeubauerandMatt Haimovitzto present his second and third string quartets, amalgamating bluegrass with classical styles, at Merkin Concert Hall in New York.[26]O'Connor released the recording for both string quartets under the label OMAC in May 2009.[27]

In 2010, O'Connor released his "Americana Symphony" recorded by theBaltimore Symphonyas well as his "Concerto No. 6 (Old Brass) and released on OMAC Records. In 2011, he released his unique" The Improvised Violin Concerto "on CD and DVD with theBoston Youth Symphony Orchestras.Partnering with his wife Maggie (who he married on November 8, 2014), his son Forrest, and his daughter-in-law, they recorded two band albums "Coming Home" forRounder Recordsand "A Musical Legacy" for OMAC Records. He also recorded a duets album with Maggie featuring music from the O'Connor Method. Some of O'Connor's albums are or contain tributes to his musical mentors and inspirations, includingNiccolò Paganini,Benny Thomasson,andGrappelli.He has recorded solo albums for OMAC Records,[28]Rounder[29]andSONY Classical Records.[30]

The O'Connor Method

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O'Connor has developed a string instrument technique for music teachers and students,The O'Connor Method — A New American School of String Playing.[31]The method places an emphasis on music and playing techniques from North America, in addition to focusing on rhythmic development, ear training, and improvisation.

The method is published as a series of books that also contains short essays about famous Americans who played fiddle, such asJohnny Gimble,Ray Nance,Byron Berline,Pinchas Zukerman,Eddie South,Kenny Baker,Benny Thomasson,Scott Joplin,Thomas JeffersonandDavy Crockett,and the history of a wide variety of music includingjazz,bluegrass,Romani,western swing,cajun,blues,African American Spirituals,ragtimeandMariachi.Teacher training sessions based on the Method take place around the United States and in other countries including at O'Connor Method String Camps. The physical edition which includes violin, viola, cello and orchestra method books was released in 2010. In 2020, the books were released as a digital edition for download.

Awards and honors

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O'Connor won aGrammy Awardthree times: in 1991 for Best Country Instrumental Performance,The New Nashville Cats;in 2000 for Best Classical Crossover Album,Appalachian JourneywithYo-Yo MaandEdgar Meyer;and in 2016 for Best Bluegrass Album,Coming Homeby the O'Connor Band With Mark O'Connor. [32][33][34]

He was named Musician of the Year by theCountry Music Associationsix years in a row (from 1991–96).[35]His collaborative single "Restless" (with Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner) won the 1991 CMA Vocal Event of the Year award. O'Connor is 4-time National Old-Time Fiddler Champion,[36]3-time Grand Master Fiddler Champion,[37]2-time national guitar flatpick champion,[38]and world mandolin champion, all achieved in his teens.[39]He was inducted into The National Fiddler Hall of Fame in 2009.[40]

Discography

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Albums

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Year Album Peak United States Chart Positions Label
Classical Crossover Classical
[41][42][43]
[44][45] 		Jazz
[46][47] 		Country
[48] 		Heatseekers
[49] 		Bluegrass
[50][51] 		Indie
[52]
1974 National Junior Fiddling Champion Rounder
1976 Pickin' in the Wind
1978 Markology
1979 On the Rampage
Soppin' the Gravy
1982 False Dawn
1982 Industry Standard(withThe Dregs) Arista
1985 Meanings Of Warner
1986 Stone from Which the Arch Was Made
1988 Elysian Forest
1989 The Championship Years CMF
On the Mark Warner
1990 Retrospective Rounder
1991 The New Nashville Cats 44 14 Warner
1992 Johnny Appleseed Rabbit Ears
1993 Heroes 46 14 Warner
The Night Before Christmas Rabbit Ears
1994 The Fiddle Concerto 6 Warner
1996 Appalachia Waltz(withYo-Yo MaandEdgar Meyer) 1 Sony
1997 Liberty! 8
1998 Midnight on the Water 5
1999 Fanfare for the Volunteer
2000 Appalachian Journey(with Yo-Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer) 1
2001 The American Seasons 6
Hot Swing! OMAC
2003 Thirty-Year Retrospective(with Chris Thile, Bryon Sutton)
Hot Swing Trio: In Full Swing 7 Sony
2004 Crossing Bridges 19 OMAC
2005 Hot Swing Trio: Live in New York 22
Double Violin Concerto(with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg)
2006 Folk Mass(with Gloriae Dei Cantores)
2007 The Essential Mark O'Connor Sony
2008 Americana Symphony(Baltimore Symphony, Marin Alsop) OMAC
2009 String Quartets No. 2 & 3
2010 Jam Session
2011 An Appalachian Christmas 9 5 3 39
2012 American Classics
2012 America On Strings
2013 The Improvised Violin Concerto CD/DVD
2014 MOC4
2014 Mark O'Connor Christmas Tour Live DVD
2015 Duo.(with Maggie O'Connor)
2016 Coming Home 1 New Rounder
2019 A Musical Legacy[53] 5 OMAC - 23
2021 Markology II 10 OMAC - 27

Singles

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Year Song Chart positions Album
US Country
[54] 		CAN Country
1991 "Restless"
(Mark O'Connor and the New Nashville Cats[a]) 		25 19 The New Nashville Cats
1992 "Now It Belongs to You"(with Steve Wariner) 71 62
1994 "The Devil Comes Back to Georgia"
(withCharlie Daniels,Travis Tritt,Marty Stuart,andJohnny Cash) 		54 — Heroes
Notes
  1. ^The New Nashville Cats, as credited on "Restless", areRicky Skaggs,Vince Gill,andSteve Wariner.

Music videos

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Year Video Director
1990 "Bowtie"[55] Gustavo Garzon
1991 "Restless"(withSteve Wariner,Ricky SkaggsandVince Gill)
"Now It Belongs to You"(withSteve Wariner) Gustavo Garzon
1993 "The Devil Comes Back to Georgia"(withCharlie Daniels,Johnny Cash,Travis TrittandMarty Stuart)
1997 "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier"(withJames Taylor)

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Mark O'Connor biography".CMT. Archived fromthe originalon February 23, 2004.RetrievedJanuary 28,2017.
  2. ^"Mark O'Connor, Violin".fromthetop.org.Retrieved5 May2022.
  3. ^Hiltner, Justin (7 August 2018)."Mark O'Connor, 'Pickin' in the wind'".thebluegrasssituation.com.Retrieved16 May2022.
  4. ^"Mark O'Connor: On Learning, Playing, and Teaching Strings, American-style by Peter Anick".Fiddle Magazine. August 21, 2010.
  5. ^"Mark O'Connor Hot Swing on Mountain Stage".NPR. April 5, 2010.
  6. ^Tom Redmond (January 28, 2017)."Chet Atkins and Mark O'Connor".Mister Guitar.
  7. ^abcRoberts, M.B. (5 August 2010)."Violin Virtuoso Mark O'Connor".americanprofile.com.Retrieved5 May2022.
  8. ^abHimes, Geoffrey."Mark O'Connor's Art: Fiddling With The Best".washingtonpost.com.Retrieved5 May2022.
  9. ^abcdAdams, Rob."Mark O'Connor - fiddle whiz keeps it in the family".robadamsjournalist.com.Retrieved5 May2022.
  10. ^abLaBorie, Tim."Mark O'Connor Biography".musicianguide.com.Retrieved5 May2022.
  11. ^abcdLawless, John (19 April 2021)."Mark O'Connor picks up his guitar again for Markology II".bluegrasstoday.com.Retrieved16 May2022.
  12. ^"Grand Master Fiddler Championship Past Winners".Grand Master Fiddler. Archived fromthe originalon March 28, 2012.
  13. ^"National Guitar Flat Pick Champion Archive".Walnut Valley Festival. Archived fromthe originalon July 24, 2011.
  14. ^Zimmerman, Lee (10 May 2019)."Mark O'Connor shares his career as an American Master".bluegrasstoday.com.Retrieved16 May2022.
  15. ^"National Oldtime Fiddlers Contest Past Winners".Fiddle Contest.RetrievedJuly 9,2020.
  16. ^"ShoreFire Media Official Bio for Mark O'Connor".ShoreFire Media.RetrievedMarch 6,2017.
  17. ^"1996 Atlanta Closing Ceremony Music List | Olympic Ceremonyography".olympicceremonies.wordpress.com.30 August 2008.RetrievedNovember 10,2018.
  18. ^"Mark O'Connor Sheet Music".sitemason.com.RetrievedNovember 10,2018.
  19. ^"LIBERTY! The American Revolution, Series: The Music of Liberty".PBS.RetrievedMarch 6,2017.
  20. ^"Fanfare for the Volunteer [sound recording]".Chicago Public Library.
  21. ^"American Seasons: Review".AllMusic.com.RetrievedMarch 6,2017.
  22. ^Kozinn, Allan (19 October 2001)."MUSIC REVIEW; Vivaldi and a Touch of Twang From Some Flexible Fiddlers".The New York Times.RetrievedMarch 6,2017.
  23. ^"Mark O'Connor | Orchestral | D'Addario".www.daddario.com.Retrieved2024-06-15.
  24. ^"Thirty Year Retrospective" liner notes
  25. ^"Yo-Yo Ma".www.sonyclassical.com.Retrieved2024-06-15.
  26. ^O'Connor, Kavafian, Neubauer, Haimovitz, Mark, Ida, Paul Matt."Mark O'Connor's String Quartet No. 3 (2nd Mvmt) w. Kavafian/Neubauer/Haimovitz".String Quartet No. 3.YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-22.RetrievedSeptember 24,2012.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ^"Mark O'Connor String Quartets No. 2 & 3".Amazon.RetrievedMarch 6,2017.
  28. ^"OMAC Records".omacrecords.com.
  29. ^"Rounder reissues classic Mark O'Connor albums".September 13, 2016.
  30. ^"Mark O'Connor | Album Discography".AllMusic.
  31. ^"O'Connor Violin Method".Mark O'Connor Musik International. Archived fromthe originalon July 14, 2011.
  32. ^"Past Winners: Grammys".Grammy Awards website. 30 April 2017.RetrievedJuly 9,2020.
  33. ^Flanagan, Andrew (12 February 2017)."NPR Choice page".npr.org.RetrievedNovember 10,2018.
  34. ^"Grammys 2017 Winners Full List".Hollywood Reporter.12 February 2017.RetrievedNovember 10,2018.
  35. ^"CMA Musician of the Year Past Winners".Country Music. Archived fromthe originalon October 18, 2015.
  36. ^"Mark O'Connor - My History at Weiser".Idaho Bluegrass Association.Retrieved2024-06-15.
  37. ^"Grand Master Fiddler Championship - Past Winners".www.grandmasterfiddler.com.Retrieved2024-06-15.
  38. ^"National Flat Pick Guitar Championship".Walnut Valley Festival.2014-10-17.Retrieved2024-06-15.
  39. ^"Can A Mandolin Kick Any More _____?".www.mandolincafe.com.Retrieved2024-06-15.
  40. ^"Mark O'Connor at the National Fiddler Hall of Fame".nationalfiddlerhalloffame.org.Retrieved5 May2022.
  41. ^"Mark O'Connor > Classical Albums".Billboard.
  42. ^"Top Classical Albums".Billboard.January 11, 1997.
  43. ^"Top Classical Albums".Billboard.September 9, 2000.
  44. ^"Top Classical Albums".Billboard.October 20, 2001.
  45. ^"Top Classical Albums".Billboard.June 3, 2006.
  46. ^"Mark O'Connor > Jazz Albums".Billboard.
  47. ^"Top Jazz Albums".Billboard.December 12, 2006.
  48. ^"Mark O'Connor > Top Country Albums".Billboard.
  49. ^"Mark O'Connor > Heatseekers Albums".Billboard.
  50. ^"Mark O'Connor > Bluegrass Albums".Billboard.
  51. ^"O'Connor Band".Billboard.
  52. ^"Mark O'Connor > Independent Albums".Billboard.
  53. ^"A Musical Legacy - Mark O'Connor Band".Bluegrass Today.2019-12-06.Retrieved2020-01-11.
  54. ^Whitburn, Joel (2008).Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008.Record Research, Inc. p. 304.ISBN978-0-89820-177-2.
  55. ^"CMT: Videos: Mark O'Connor: Bowtie".Country Music Television.RetrievedSeptember 29,2011.[dead link]
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