Mark O’Connor’s An Appalachian Christmas – CT presents

Mark O’Connor began his creative journey at the feet of American fiddling legend Benny Thomasson, and the iconic French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Now, at age 55, he has melded these influences into a new American classical music, and is perpetuating his vision of an American School of String Playing. Mr. O’Connor has won three Grammys, seven CMA awards as well as several national fiddle, guitar and mandolin champion titles. His distinguished career includes representing the United States Information Agency in cultural diplomacy to six continents and performing in front of several U.S. presidents including being invited to the White House by President Ronald Reagan to perform as a teen.

After recording a series of albums for Rounder and Warner Bros including his multiple Grammy-winning New Nashville Cats, his recordings for Sony Classical with Yo-Yo Ma, Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey sold a million CDs and gained O’Connor worldwide recognition as a leading proponent of a new American musical idiom.

Mr. O’Connor’s Fiddle Concerto released on Warner Bros. has become the most-performed violin concerto composed in the last 50 years. On his own OMAC Records label, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra recorded his sweeping Americana Symphony while his groundbreaking 9th concerto, The Improvised Violin Concerto was recorded in Boston Symphony Hall. In all, Mr. O’Connor‘s compositions have received more than 700 performances by orchestra.

The O’Connor Band consisting of family members debuted at #1 in 2016 on Billboard Magazine’s bluegrass album chart and their first album Coming Home won a Grammy in 2017 and followed it up with a live band album A Musical Legacy and an all vocal album by Mark and Maggie O’Connor that reached #2 in bluegrass and #7 in classical crossover called, Life After Life. Mr. O’Connor has written his long-awaited memoir, Crossing Bridges: My Journey from Child Prodigy to Fiddler Who Dared the World. Released in all formats through Ingram, it was the subject of an in depth Morning Edition piece on NPR.
Mr. O’Connor has authored a series of educational books called the O’Connor Method and is now the fastest growing violin method in the country and tens of thousands can credit the O’Connor books for learning how to play stringed instruments. The O’Connor Method features American music styles, creativity, cultural diversity and western classical technical training. Mr. O’Connor regularly tours with his wife Maggie who is a violinist and vocalist. Mark and Maggie O’Connor perform violin and fiddle duos, guitar and mandolin with vocals featuring music from their recent album, Life After Life and Mr. O’Connor’s perennial An Appalachian Christmas. Together they also perform his original concertos and suites with symphony orchestras. Mr. and Mrs. O’Connor reside in North Carolina.

https://www.markoconnor.com/an-appalachian-christmas

Facebook: @markoconnorofficial
Instagram: @markoconnorofficial
YouTube: @markoconnor

Information on Mark O’Connor can be found at:
www.markoconnor.com
www.markandmaggieoconnor.com

The O’Connor Method for violin and strings is distributed by Shar Music
www.oconnormethod.com

For Mr. O’Connor’s downloadable sheet music and recordings on his own OMAC Records label,
please visit www.markoconnor.com and www.omacrecords.com

Mark and Maggie O’Connor use D’Addario Strings and Equipment