Mark O'Connor

Biography

Mark O'Connor (born August 5, 1961) is an American fiddle player, composer, guitarist, and mandolinist whose music combines bluegrass, country, jazz and classical. A three-time Grammy Award winner, he has won six Country Music Association Musician Of The Year awards and was a member of three influential musical ensembles: the David Grisman Quintet, The Dregs, and Strength in Numbers.
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. He has appeared on 450 albums, composed nine concertos and has put together groundbreaking ensembles. His mentors have included Benny Thomasson who taught O'Connor to fiddle as a teenager, French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli with whom O'Connor toured as a teenager, and guitarists Chet Atkins, Doc Watson and Steve Morse.

Early life

O'Connor was born and raised in the suburb of Mountlake Terrace, Washington, where his father was a construction worker and his mother was a dance teacher. 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 the Flamenco guitar. As an eight-year-old in 1969, O'Connor watched fiddle player Doug Kershaw perform the song "Diggy Liggy Lo" on The 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.
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. His performance at the Picking Parlour left the local audience stunned that a twelve-year-old knew so many old-time fiddle songs. A couple of days later, he made his Grand Ole Opry debut, introduced by Roy Acuff, and became the youngest musician to sign a recording contract with Rounder Records.
O'Connor won national titles on the fiddle, guitar, and mandolin as a teenager. In 1975, at the age of thirteen, O'Connor won the WSM (AM), Tennessee, and Grand Ole Opry sponsored Grand Masters Fiddle Championships in Nashville, Tennessee, against amateur and professional competitors of all ages. That same year he won another national championship on acoustic guitar, at the National Flat Pick Guitar Championship in Winfield, Kansas.
After graduating from the Mountlake Terrace High School in 1979, O'Connor joined the David Grisman Quintet as the replacement for guitar player, Tony Rice, and went out on tour with Stephane Grappelli with whom he performed at Carnegie Hall when he was only seventeen-years-old. As a teenager, he was also a member of the seminal instrumental group The Dregs, previously known as Dixie Dregs. At age 19, He won the Buck White International Mandolin Championship in Kerrville, Texas. He is a four-time grand champion (1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984) at the National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest in Weiser, Idaho. Several of his teenage albums are noteworthy and inspired a generation of young acoustic musicians, such as "Pickin' In The Wind×Pickin' in the Wind1976 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Pickin' in the Wind2Midnight on the Water3Tom and Jerry4Cotton Patch Rag5Tammy's Waltz6Lonesome Fiddle Blues7Daybreak in Dixie8Mark's Waltz9Grey Eagle10Dixie Hoedown11Goodbye Waltz12Herman's Rag13Faded Love14Dixie Breakdown", "A Texas Jam Session", "Markology×Markology1979 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Dixie Breakdown1:482Markology6:343Kit's Waltz2:054Fliud Drive8:145Blackberry Blossom4:276Pickin' in the Wind3:177Banks of the Ohio3:408Beserkeley6:289On Top of the World2:32" and "False Dawn×False Dawn1983 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Opus 11: Flight Home4:092Opus 14: False Dawn5:343Opus 15: Floating Bridge of Dreams5:174Opus 16: Rose Among Thorns4:495Opus 12: Point of Crossing5:156Opus 13: Conversation With a Friend5:047Opus 17: Thanks and Goodbyes3:218Opus 18: An Empty Hall/Into the Walls of Mandoness3:38".

Musical career

O'Connor composes, arranges, and records American music in genres that include folk, classical, and jazz. His works include concertos, and compositions for orchestra, string quartets, string trios, choral music, solo unaccompanied pieces, folk and bluegrass ensemble and a symphony (see Compositions). After releasing six albums as a teen on Rounder Records, O'Connor signed a long term record deal with Warner Bros. Records in Nashville. He released a series of instrumental albums such as "Elysian Forest×Elysian Forest1988 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Cool Winds (#43)4:442Light the Fire (#37)3:313Inside the Stillness (#42)3:574October Impressions (#38)4:075Idle Rain (#41)3:596Both Sides Now3:027Fidula Caprice in 'A' (#44)4:158Two Creations (#45)3:019The Inns of Granny White/Elysian Forest (#39 & #40)6:2210Miss Sally Goodwin10:06" and "On The Mark×On the Mark1989 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Hot Tamale4:032Get Set, Go3:213Pacific Expectations4:004March of the Pharoahs4:245When We Talk4:066Bowtie2:437We're Sourrouded3:328Miniatures4:179Changing of the Guard4:1610Intro: Ol' Blue0:4311Ol' Blue3:30" as well as teaming up with Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer for "Strength In Numbers". His first award winning albums that catapulted him into the international stage include "New Nashville Cats" and "Heroes×Heroes14 September 1993 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1New Country3:552The Devil Comes Back to Georgia4:133Fiddlin' Around4:534Gold Rush4:375House of the Rising Sun7:556Diggy Diggy Lo2:487Jole Blon2:238Sadness/Darlin' Waltz2:559Jerusalem's Ridge3:2710Sally Johnson5:1411Ashokan Farewell4:5812This Can't Be Love5:2313Ain't Misbehavin'5:3714Nomad8:02" both released on Warner Bros.
O'Connor's "Fiddle Concerto (1992)", a violin concerto in American fiddle style commission by the Santa 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. The recording of the concerto was conducted by Marin Alsop and "Concordia Orchestra".
In 1993, O'Connor teamed up with Charlie Daniels to 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 alongside Johnny Cash, Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt. The song was on O'Connor's album, Heroes. Between 1995 and 2000, O'Connor teamed up with Yo-Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer to release "Appalachia Waltz×Appalachia Waltz24 September 1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1The Green Groves of Erin / The Flowers of Red Hill3:042Appalachia Waltz5:473Chief Sitting in the Rain2:014Mama5:465Butterfly’s Day Out4:436Druid Fluid6:317First Impressions4:088Étienne et Petunia4:049F.C.’s Jig3:1510College Hornpipe3:1511Pickles3:0412Old Country Fairytale8:2513Schizoozy4:0514Star of the Country Down4:4515Speed the Plow Medley1:5816Fair Dancer Reel4:46" and "Appalachian Journey×Appalachian Journey21 March 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks11B4:042Misty Moonlight Waltz4:483Hard Times Come Again No More3:464Indecision4:315Limerock2:306Benjamin3:347Fisher’s Hornpipe3:468Duet for Cello and Bass5:569Emily’s Reel2:5010Cloverfoot Reel4:2711Poem for Carlita7:3612Caprice for Three3:5013Second Time Around4:3414Slumber, My Darling4:5515Vistas9:57" spending nearly 2 years at the top of the classical music Billboard charts.
In 1996, O'Connor composed The Olympic Reel for the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. It premiered in front of 100,000 people at Centennial Olympic Stadium, as well as 3.5 billion people from the television viewing audience.
In 1997, O'Connor and others composed and performed music based on folk melodies as arrangements for the American Revolutionary War-era Public Broadcasting Service documentary miniseries, Liberty! The American Revolution (the companion album is Liberty!). The theme music for the miniseries is O'Connor's Song of the Liberty Bell.
In 1999, he recorded his Fanfare For The Volunteer with the London Philharmonic Orchestra for Sony Classical, and one of his most critically acclaimed orchestral pieces American Seasons, which alludes to The Four Seasons (Vivaldi), for Sony Classical as well. "American Seasons", and his "Strings & Threads" Suite (1986) was performed by The Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra in 2001 at the Great Performers concert at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
In a review by The New York Times, "if Dvorak had spent his American leisure time in Nashville instead of Spillville, Iowa, his New World Symphony might have sounded like this." Both "Strings & Threads" Suite and "American Seasons" were recorded for the album The American Seasons×The American Seasons2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1The American Seasons: Spring7:402The American Seasons: Summer9:413The American Seasons: Fall5:504The American Seasons: Winter14:415Strings & Threads Suite: I. Fair Dancer Reel1:146Strings & Threads Suite: II. Sailor's Jig0:487Strings & Threads Suite: III. Captain's Jig0:428Strings & Threads Suite: IV. Off to Sea0:569Strings & Threads Suite: V. Pilgrim's Waltz1:2010Strings & Threads Suite: VI. Road to Appalachia0:5711Strings & Threads Suite: VII. Shine On2:0712Strings & Threads Suite: VIII. Cotton Pickin' Blues1:4513Strings & Threads Suite: IX. Pickin' Parlor Rag1:0314Strings & Threads Suite: X. Queen of the Cumberland1:1315Strings & Threads Suite: XI. Texas Dance Hall Blues1:0916Strings & Threads Suite: XII. Swing0:5717Strings & Threads Suite: XIII. Sweet Suzanne1:1818Appalachia Waltz6:54, released in 2001 on the label OMAC Records. In 2008 O'Connor paired up with violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg to record his "Double Violin Concerto×Double Violin Concerto11 August 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Double Violin Concerto: I. Swing11:362Double Violin Concerto: II. Midnight On the Dance Room Floor7:583Double Violin Concerto: III. Dixieland11:454Appalachia Waltz6:255Johnny Appleseed Suite: I. Marching Along the Ohio Frontier5:006Johnny Appleseed Suite: II. Johnny's Apple Pie5:067Johnny Appleseed Suite: III. Three Angel Brides5:028Johnny Appleseed Suite: IV. The Life and Times of Johnny Appleseed3:249Amazing Grace3:22" with Marin Alsop and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra for OMAC Records.
Over a period of five years, O'Connor teamed up with jazz musicians Frank Vignola and Jon Burr for a trilogy of "Hot Swing Trio" albums dedicated to his mentor Stephane Grappelli. O'Connor recorded Thirty-Year Retrospective in 2003 with the mandolinist Chris Thile, guitarist Bryan Sutton, and bassist Byron House. 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 of Johnny Appleseed×Johnny Appleseed1993 · Studio album · AudiobookSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Johnny Appleseed24:082Marching Along the Ohio Frontier4:153Three Angel Brides4:134Apple Pie4:445Johnny Appleseed Theme2:54 (and released the music on his 1992 album Johnny Appleseed), narrated by Garrison Keillor. He contributed four tracks to a 1993 album on the theme of The Night Before Christmas, narrated by Meryl 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. One of his chamber music efforts is his piano trio entitled Poets and Prophets which is inspired by his boyhood hero Johnny Cash. O'Connor and Rosanne Cash united in double bill concerts for premiering their collaboration. The piece was recorded by the Eroica Trio.
On April 28, 2009, O'Connor teamed with chamber musicians Ida Kavafian, Paul Neubauer and Matt Haimovitz to present his second and third string quartets, amalgamating bluegrass with classical styles, at Merkin Concert Hall in New York. O'Connor released the recording for both string quartets under the label OMAC in May 2009.
In 2010, O'Connor released his "Americana Symphony" recorded by the Baltimore Symphony as well as his "Concerto No. 6 (Old Brass) and released on OMAC Records. In 2011, he released his unique "The Improvised Violin Concerto×The Improvised Violin Concerto2013 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Symphony Orchestra "March of the Gypsy Fiddler": I. Movement I8:582Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Symphony Orchestra "March of the Gypsy Fiddler": II. Movement II5:163Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Symphony Orchestra "March of the Gypsy Fiddler": III. Movement III9:274The Improvised Violin Concerto: I. Fire7:515The Improvised Violin Concerto: II. Air5:186The Improvised Violin Concerto: III. Water4:347The Improvised Violin Concerto: IV. Earth7:268The Improvised Violin Concerto: V. Faith9:58Disc 21Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Symphony Orchestra "March of the Gypsy Fiddler": I. Movement I2Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Symphony Orchestra "March of the Gypsy Fiddler": II. Movement II3Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano and Symphony Orchestra "March of the Gypsy Fiddler": III. Movement III4The Improvised Violin Concerto: I. Fire5The Improvised Violin Concerto: II. Air6The Improvised Violin Concerto: III. Water7The Improvised Violin Concerto: IV. Earth8The Improvised Violin Concerto: V. Faith" on CD and DVD with the Boston 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×Coming Home5 August 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Always Do3:132Coming Home3:233I Haven't Said I Love You in a While3:534Ruby, Are You Mad at Your Man?3:025What Have I Been Saying?3:486Jerusalem Ridge3:407The Sweet Ones3:098Blacktop Boy3:429You Too3:4410Fishers Hornpipe3:4211Old Black Creek3:3912Fiddler Going Home5:00" for Rounder Records and "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, including Niccolò Paganini, Benny Thomasson, and Grappelli. He has recorded solo albums for OMAC Records, Rounder, Warner Bros. and SONY Classical Records.

The O'Connor Method

O'Connor has developed a string instrument technique for music teachers and students, The O'Connor Method — A New American School of String Playing, in collaboration with Sadie DeWall and Pamela Wiley. 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 as Johnny Gimble, Ray Nance, Byron Berline, Pinchas Zukerman, Eddie South, Kenny Baker, Benny Thomasson, Scott Joplin, Thomas Jefferson and Davy Crockett, and the history of a wide variety of music including jazz, bluegrass, Romani, western swing, cajun, blues, African American Spirituals, ragtime and Mariachi. 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

O'Connor won a Grammy Award three times: in 1991 for Best Country Instrumental Performance, The New Nashville Cats; in 2000 for Best Classical Crossover Album, Appalachian Journey×Appalachian Journey21 March 2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks11B4:042Misty Moonlight Waltz4:483Hard Times Come Again No More3:464Indecision4:315Limerock2:306Benjamin3:347Fisher’s Hornpipe3:468Duet for Cello and Bass5:569Emily’s Reel2:5010Cloverfoot Reel4:2711Poem for Carlita7:3612Caprice for Three3:5013Second Time Around4:3414Slumber, My Darling4:5515Vistas9:57 with Yo-Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer; and in 2016 for Best Bluegrass Album, Coming Home×Coming Home5 August 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Always Do3:132Coming Home3:233I Haven't Said I Love You in a While3:534Ruby, Are You Mad at Your Man?3:025What Have I Been Saying?3:486Jerusalem Ridge3:407The Sweet Ones3:098Blacktop Boy3:429You Too3:4410Fishers Hornpipe3:4211Old Black Creek3:3912Fiddler Going Home5:00 by the O'Connor Band With Mark O'Connor.

He was named Musician of the Year by the Country Music Association six years in a row (from 1991–96). 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, 3-time Grand Master Fiddler Champion, 2-time national guitar flatpick champion, and world mandolin champion, all achieved in his teens. He was inducted into The National Fiddler Hall of Fame in 2009.

Personal life

Mark O'Connor was in a relationship with Suzanne MacKillop, with whom he had a son called Forrest. Forrest grew up in Nashville, but moved to Missoula, Montana, with his mother, Suzanne, when he was 12. Mark had a 7-year relationship with Sadie DeWall from 2007 to October 2013; Autumn was born to them in 2010. As of November 2014, Mark and Sadie were co-parenting Autumn. Mark met Maggie O'Connor (nee: Dixon) on May 15, 2014, and they were married 6 months later. They continue their personal and professional partnership until today.