Mark O'Connor Slideshow
Practice makes perfect: Mark O'Connor and student soloist Julgi Kang run through the first movement of his <em>Double Violin Concerto</em> at an open rehearsal December 10.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Student Jakub Trasak warms up backstage at the Cafe 939 open rehearsal. He was only 8 years old when he first met (and impressed) O'Connor.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
O'Connor tells the Cafe 939 audience that his late start on the violin gave him a leg up on writing a method book: He remembers learning to play.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Berklee President Roger H. Brown has encouraged the growth of roots music at the college.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
The Berklee Jazz/World String Orchestra performs O'Connor's <em>Strings and Threads Suite</em>, one of his early compositions that blends folk and classical.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Student Sue Buzzard performs the second movement of the concerto. For the concert auditions, she learned all three movements.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Trasak and O'Connor perform the fast third movement of the concerto. Listening to O'Connor's <em>The New Nashville Cats</em> album, Trasak said, set his musical path.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Ivonne Hernandez, one of Berklee's contest-winning fiddlers, takes a break.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Berklee provides firepower to match O'Connor's fiddle. From left: Julian Lage '08, Grammy-nominated for a jazz album; Dave Hollender, banjo faculty; John McGann, faculty, on mandola; student Noam Wiesenberg; and O'Connor.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Students Courtney Hartmann, Fiona Schubeck, and Hannah Read sing in three-part harmony.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
The mess of musicians threatens to play all night. Judging from the excitement, some probably did.
Photo by Phil Farnsworth
Mark O'Connor's December 10 concert/hoedown was the culmination of a week of rehearsals, master classes, and class visits, involving so many people we needed a wide angle to capture everyone on stage at the end. The concert was the kick-off event for Berklee's new American Roots Music Program. Here are some photos from the scene.