Tuesday, November 28th, 2000
Remark about Mark O'Connor's composition Appalachia Waltz at the White House
Conference on Culture and Diplomacy
"one of the most important pieces of American music in many, many years,
uniting the strains of classical music with American hill country music,
which is an important part of my heritage."
– President William Jefferson Clinton
“Dear Mr. O'Connor:
On behalf of Harvard University, I am writing to express my deep thanks and appreciation for participating in the Learning For Performers program on December 3 and 4, 2009, and for your workshop and performance with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, co-sponsored by the Office for the Arts and the HRO.
Over the past few years, your continuing participation in Harvard undergraduate education has been invaluable. The knowledge and experience you have shared with our students, the entire Harvard community, and the public has been accomplished with deep passion and engagement. I extend our best wishes and gratitude for your service, and for all of your extraordinary efforts on behalf of young music artists.
I also extend congratulations on Forrest's graduation with honors this spring. His significant commitment to American roots music scholarship--not to mention his excellent music-making--will have a lasting impact at Harvard.
Sincerely,
Drew Gilpin Faust - President, Harvard University
PS: We will miss Forrest!
”
“the group has evolved into a strongly individual-sounding ensemble, one that
plays both high-speed swing tunes and folk-flavored long-form originals like
O'Connor's "Anniversary" with identical skill.”
– Washington Post
October 3, 2004
Sunday Arts
“ "We've got a fine young guest for you this evening that I think
you'll enjoy* I heard him back here in these dressing rooms a while ago,
and two of the boys that work with me all the time (Brother Oswald and
Charlie Collins), he came to visit them and play down town at the
"Pickin''Parlor'" the other night, and they say he's a genius. And I would
have to use the same expression. The word "genius" is about the only way
that I know that could fit a person 12 years old that can play a fiddle as
this boy can play it*
"You know, Joe Edwards, back here - Joe plays a fine guitar and
fiddle - he expressed it about as good as anybody could, I guess. He said:
'You know, seeing and hearing him play makes me believe more in
reincarnation than anything.' He said: 'He'd have had to have been here
some time before.' The reason he said that - now let me explain this -
he's only been playing, so his mother and they all say, a year and a half!
Maybe Joe's right. Maybe he has been here before and come back!
"I have to say that for 12 years old I don't believe I've ever heard
anything that can equal him in any way."
”
– -Roy Acuff, from his introduction of Mark's O'Connor's first appearance on
the "Grand Ole Opry" in Nashville, July 26, 1974.
“Dear Mark I would like to thank you for joining us on "To Live! America Celebrates Israel's 50th." The show was extrememely well received, and your performance was on the of the memorable moments of the evening.
Don Mischer - producer
Dear Mr. O'Connor...your tremendous talent and creativity helped make the show a great success and I appreciate your sharing it with us on this special occasion. Israel salutes you for a job well done.
”
– Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister
(5/7/98)
“To release a recording that I am proud of is far more rewarding because it lasts a very long time. If one can imagine this, an important recording could be listened to these days by people nearly 100 years after it was made, while a concert is over so very quickly. There are sometime very good memories of a performance, ones that can be considered for years by those who performed or witnessed the concert. But to be able to have new listeners and even new generations of people enjoy a recording and to study the recording is quite a remarkable objective.
”
– Mark O'Connor 6/9/06
“****FOR MORE QUOTES FROM THE PRESS AND WELL-KNOWN MUSICIANS, CLICK ON THE LIST OF ICONS AT THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THIS PAGE****”
