Mark and Maggie O’Connor’s residency features their violin recital of violin solos and duos from the successful “O’Connor Method” on the first evening. The 2nd day offers a series of classes that can be selected from their workshop formats, lecture - demonstrations on music education, presentations on American music or on the music business as well as masterclasses on compositions of Mr. O’Connor.

"Mark made an enormous impression on our students. His contact with them was immediate and powerful. He's a kind and inspiring teacher, and of course his fiddle playing is virtuosic and alive with color and energy.
May he return to Harvard many times!"
- Jack Megan, Director, Office for the Arts at Harvard

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 now co-directing the O’Connor Method™ String Camp in Charlotte, NC. 

CURRENT OFFERING

RECITALS 
Mark and Maggie O’Connor 
American Classics identifies the cornerstones of repertoire, style and wonderful diversity of A New American School of String Playing. Mining a huge body of repertoire that has made its impact on American music, the selected tunes and arrangements by Mr. O’Connor represent stylistic importance, pedagogical value and have timeless appeal. 

MASTERCLASSES 
Mark O’Connor conducts masterclasses on his own compositions and American classics from the O’Connor Method book series. 

WORKSHOPS 
Mark and Maggie O’Connor lead a class of students (instruments in hand) through a series of O’Connor Method book tunes, musical phrases, rhythms, and techniques that reveal the elements and machinery that help create the American string school. Students learn various uses of bowing methods, chord theory, ensemble playing, tune-writing and improvisation. 

LECTURE/DEMONSTRATIONS 
Widely and well known as one of America’s most inventive and innovative composers for strings, Mark O’Connor discusses and demonstrates his American style of string playing, his improvisational abilities and the process of composition. With a 40-year international career, 47 feature albums released, and numerous awards, Mr. O’Connor’s can share insights into the music business, and music education.

 SEE Prospective Syllabus and Courses Leading to a College Degree in American Strings

“Mark O’Connor’s residency at Rice University was a huge success. He gave a beautiful concert and then followed with a talk and class that truly opened the eyes and ears of many young musicians. I heard so many enthusiastic comments from students, and fellow faculty members.” 

- Cho-Liang Lin, Professor of Violin, Rice University Shepherd School of Music

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ABOUT THE O'CONNOR METHOD™ (Website)

The O'Connor Method™ for violin and strings has been widely praised since its debut in Fall 2009 as "an American grown rival to the Suzuki method" (The New Yorker). It takes an American Classical approach to modern violin playing, offering a technical foundation using songs from the diverse range of traditional American string playing. The groundbreaking method is the first violin method to feature all American music and has been hailed by teachers from across the country as filling a significant gap in classical music education. It was inspired by the thousands of students O'Connor has taught at his string camps and at universities and conservatories across the country, and by his belief that the modern classical violin student who develops a working knowledge of folk fiddling, jazz music and world music styles can enjoy a lifetime of music-making, and be more successful in the new music environment. Four professional CDs have been released featuring music from the books, “American Classics,” “America on Strings,” “MOC4” and "Mark and Maggie O'Connor Duo." The O’Connor Method™ and its companion orchestra book series is now being taught to tens of thousands of students around the country and parts of the world.