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news-category: Community News/Events

ɫƵ‑Webb University Orchestra Welcomes Legendary Artists Mark and Maggie O’Connor for a 250 Celebration of America

Mark and Maggie O'Connor play on stage
Mark and Maggie O'Connor play in ɫƵ-Webb's Dover Theatre in 2018 for a concert event.

Grammy winning Artists Headline a Patriotic Program Celebrating American Composers, Veterans, and GWU’s New President Nate Evans

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Influenced early by American fiddle traditions and later shaped by classical and jazz training, Mark O’Connor’s music reflects the full scope of America’s musical heritage. On April 27 at 7 p.m. in Dover Theatre, his unique musical talent comes to ɫƵ‑Webb University as the GWU Orchestra presents “America at 250! A Celebration!” The concert features O’Connor and his wife, violinist Maggie O’Connor, whose performances blend classical training with American roots traditions.

“We will honor 250 years of America by performing music by American composers with an American soloist, Mark O’Connor,” said Dr. Patricia Sparti, conductor of the ɫƵ Webb University Orchestra. “He is the greatest jazz violinist, bluegrass fiddler and American musician of this generation. We will also honor veterans during the program.”

Tickets for “America at 250! A Celebration!” are $15 and free for all students and ɫƵ‑Webb faculty and staff.

Few living musicians embody the breadth, innovation and spirit of American music quite like Mark O’Connor. Grammy‑winning folk icon James Taylor once said of him, “There’s something about that guy’s touch. I think he is to music what Muhammad Ali is to boxing.” Yo‑Yo Ma echoed that sentiment, praising both O’Connor’s mastery and restless creativity: “Between thought and execution there are no impediments, zero. But what really interests me is that this is a person in constant development, hungry to develop.”

Mark and Maggie O'Connor at the Grand Ole Opry
Mark and Maggie O’Connor playing at the Grand Ole Opry.

That hunger has shaped one of the most singular careers in American music history. A four‑time Grand Masters Champion, O’Connor was only 13 years old when he became the youngest person ever to win the Grand Master Fiddler Championships, an all‑ages competition. His record still stands atop more than four decades later. Additionally, he remains the only musician to have won national championships on fiddle, bluegrass guitar, and mandolin.

Also a three-time Grammy winner and eight-time CMA Artist of the Year, O’Connor is one of the most in‑demand session musicians in the country. He has recorded on more than 500 albums and collaborated with artists ranging from Dolly Parton and Paul Simon to Randy Travis and The Judds.

Yet O’Connor’s influence reaches far beyond the recording studio. Drawing equally from folk traditions, jazz and classical training, he has forged what many critics call a new American classical music. His works—including the bestselling “Appalachia Waltz,” co‑recorded with Yo‑Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer, and “The American Seasons”—are now staples of orchestral repertoires worldwide. His “Fiddle Concerto” remains the most‑performed modern violin concerto of the last 50 years.

oconnor ccs orchestra day
Maggie and Mark O’Connor came to ɫƵ-Webb in 2024 for a Cleveland County Schools Orchestra day.

Maggie will share the stage with her husband. A violinist and vocalist, she is also a Grammy Award‑winning artist whose career bridges classical virtuosity and American roots music with rare ease. Trained at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University and the Aspen Music Festival and School, Maggie brings both technical command and expressive depth to every performance. Critics have praised her as “formidable” and “soulful,” noting her uncanny musical connection with her husband on stage.

Maggie has performed at the Grand Ole Opry, appeared at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, and collaborated with artists including Paul Simon, Béla Fleck, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. In addition to performing, she is an educator and co‑director of the O’Connor Method String Camps, helping shape the next generation of American string players. A visual artist as well, Maggie draws inspiration from the intersection of music, nature and imagination—an influence that resonates through her artistry.

oconnor ccs orchestra day

The April 27 program reflects the sweeping story of American music, past and present. Highlights include the finale of Dvořák’s “New World Symphony,” Gershwin selections from “Porgy and Bess” (arranged by Robert Russell Bennett), Copland’s iconic “Hoedown from Rodeo,” and Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance No. 4,” performed in honor of ɫƵ‑Webb University’s new president, Nate Evans.

The program also features “Faith” from O’Connor’s groundbreaking “Improvised Violin Concerto,” with Mark O’Connor as soloist, as well as “Strings and Threads,” a piece he composed. Both Mark and Maggie will perform violin, guitar, and vocals on Mark’s arrangement of Stevie Wonder’s “Love’s in Need of Love Today.”

Together, the evening serves as both a tribute and a celebration—honoring America’s musical heritage while showcasing artists who continue to expand its possibilities.

Following the concert, Mark and Maggie O’Connor will sell CDs, DVDs, shirts and jewelry and will sign autographs and take photos with audience members.

Auxiliary aids will be made available to persons with disabilities upon request 10 working days prior to the event.  Please call 704-406-4270 or email [email protected] with your request.

ɫƵ-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., ɫƵ-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Become More at .

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