Poem For Carlita (for unaccompanied violin) MO149

Violin Solo

Music by Mark O?Connor

5 pages - 7:30 minutes in length



Poem For Carlita In contemporary vocal music, there is a form called a story song. It is an odd form in that it does not contain any departure from the central idea; therefore there is no ?return.? The story has a beginning and ending but uses subtle variation to push the idea along its way. .. much the way loving relationships evolve. The equivalent of the story song in classical music is a Poem, and this is what I have called this piece. An inspiration I used for my musical poem was the ocean and it?s repetition of waves as they fall in to the shoreline. I grew up near the ocean and remember how the sounds of the relentless waves used to calm me. While it was the repetitive sound of the sea that moved me as a child, today, I observed that each wave was not the same but in fact slightly different. I was amazed that it seemed that no two waves looked or sounded the same to me. This natural occurrence seemed to mirror my love for wife Carla. Each day was just something a tiny bit different. It was very natural to make these kinds of life experience connections. Bridges that joined nature, love and art. The poem begins slowly and inquisitively and builds through in intensity with loud and mightily passionate moments of emotion before the music comes down peacefully and reflectively, until the last statement played by the violin signifies that the sea is calm once again.

Appalachia Waltz MO106

Appalachia Waltz for unaccompanied violin by Mark O?Connor

Violin Solo ? 3 pages

Music by Mark O?Connor

3 pages - 5:00 minutes in length



Appalachia Waltz is a piece composed by Mark O?Connor for unaccompanied violin which gained fame as the title track from the album featuring O?Connor, Yo-Yo Ma, and Edgar Meyer. The Sony Classical release remained for many months in the top ten of Billboard Magazine?s Classical music chart. O?Connor originally composed the piece as a solo for unaccompanied violin in 1993 before he brought it to the trio when compiling material for their album. Here, in its original form, ?Appalachia Waltz? is just the way O?Connor performs it in his solo

concerts. With the musical influences coming from Scandinavian and Appalachian folk fiddling, O?Connor creates two independent lines while playing double-stops surprising the listener who is hearing just one fiddle. It is one of O?Connor?s most beautiful pieces. The music is suited for advanced and intermediate levels.



Original music printed from the composer?s manuscripts.

Music editing, copying and engraving by Mark O?Connor

using ?Finale? on Apple Macintosh 1993



Composed By Mark O?Connor

Originally released on ?Appalachia Waltz? featuring Mark O'Connor, Yo-Yo Ma and Edgar Meyer, Sony Classical

Can be heard on ?Thirty Year Retrospective? OMAC Records Recordshttps://omacrecords.com/omac-5-6-thirty-year-retrospective

Other versions can be heard on Mark O'Connor's "Crossing Bridges", ?Duo? by Mark and Maggie O?Connor OMAC Records and ?The Essential Mark O?Connor? Sony Classical



Catalogue Number MO106

Copyright � 1993 by Mark O?Connor Music International

Corona Etude is a hopeful piece written during coronavirus lockdown. It uses rapid 2, 3 and 4-string crossings to create the sensation of multiple voices. The use of many open strings helps to create a full sound while being relatively easy to play. After players familiarize themselves with the notated version, they are encouraged to create their own realization using the sketch on the front cover. It has a folk-like feeling, while using a standard classical technique. It could be way to introduce students to the string crossings in solo Bach sonatas and partitas, and other standard literature. .

Amazing Grace (unaccompanied violin) MO174

Unaccompanied Violin

Music by Mark O?Connor

2 pages - 3:00 minutes in length



Amazing Grace is a centuries-old hymn whose melody comes from a 500 year-old pipe tune before coming to South Carolina. In the early 1800s, South Carolina choral master William Walker paired it with the lyrics of slave ship captain John Newton?s lyric ?Amazing Grace?. O?Connor?s unaccompanied arrangement in the key of F major with double stops and grace notes has become a violin favorite for decades and appears on his Sony Classical release?Midnight On The Water?. The music is suitable for the advanced level.

After playing hundreds of events throughout the years I have finally put some of my personal arrangements down on paper. This version of the Wedding March takes the full sound of a quartet and puts it into one instrument. There are many chords in this version which is perfect for a solo violinist at a wedding.

For those who are still progressing, the chords can be omitted where needed to make the piece more approachable.

After playing hundreds of events throughout the years I have finally put some of my personal arrangements down on paper. This version of the Bridal Chorus takes the full sound of a quartet and puts it into one instrument. There are many chords in this version which is perfect for a solo violinist at a wedding.

For those who are still progressing, the chords can be omitted where needed to make the piece more approachable.

After playing hundreds of events throughout the years I have finally put some of my personal arrangements down on paper. This version of Ave Maria takes the original theme and turns it into a concert piece. After the first verse with a multitude of chords is performed, a second version comes with string crossings reminiscent of the Bach Chaconne. Rubato is definitely acceptable and at times necessary to bring out the feeling of this piece.

For those who are still progressing, the chords can be omitted where needed to make the piece more approachable.