Classical Music Inside Out: Mark and Maggie O'Connor

Mark O'Connor began his creative journey at the feet of American fiddling legend Benny Thomasson, and the iconic French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Today, 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 and several national fiddle, guitar and mandolin champion titles. Mr. O’Connor has composed nine concertos and two symphonies recorded by the Baltimore Symphony, London Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony among others. O’Connor is well-known for his chamber music including his million-selling composition “Appalachia Waltz” featuring Yo-Yo Ma for the Sony Classical label. His recent album back on his own label OMAC Records is Life After Life, an Americana music collection of his original songs and some classics he sings with his wife Maggie O’Connor who is featured on lead vocals. 2025 sees the release of their new holiday music album, A Christmas Duet – captured live at Sheldon Hall in St. Louis from Mark’s perennial An Appalachian Christmas tour. O’Connor released his memoir a few years ago, Crossing Bridges: My Journey from Child Prodigy to Fiddler Who Dared the World.

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. The O’Connor Method features American music styles, creativity, cultural diversity and western classical technical training.

American violinist/fiddler and vocalist, Maggie O'Connor performs a variety of musical styles throughout the U.S. and beyond, most recently as a member of the Grammy award-winning bluegrass group, the O'Connor Band. She spends most of her time now performing with her husband, violinist and composer Mark O'Connor. Together they have appeared as guest soloists with the Charlotte Symphony, Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Santa Rosa Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Winston Salem Symphony, with Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center, and appeared in violin duo performances in such prestigious settings as the Yehudi Menuhin Centennial celebration at the Berlin Konzerthaus, the Lockenhaus, Austria Musikfest, and the Leopold Auer Festival in Hungary. In an Americana duo setting, the couple tours music from their new album, Life After Life, a collection of original songs and classics. Her latest album is A Christmas Duet, a live-in-concert album from their annual An Appalachian Christmas tour. Along with performing, Maggie continues to work as co-director with Mr. O’Connor at O'Connor Method String Camp currently taking place in Charlotte, NC featuring the lesson book series that is rising in popularity each year.

Classical Music Inside Out is under the artistic direction of GRAMMY® Award-winning Cellist Zuill Bailey. Zuill Bailey is underwritten by Bill Passey and Maria Silva. 
 

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