SKU: A0.809219

An original work inspired by Psalm 23. Part of the four-movement Psalm Suite for Brass Quintet, premiered in October 2019 by the Brass Arts Quintet at the School of Music at Tennessee Tech University. Each movement is easily suitable for performance in a sacred or secular setting.

SKU: HX.446162

SKU: A0.816525

2016 Easy Piano Contest Entry
This arrangement of the classic Country waltz has both hands sharing the melody and also the accompaniment.  LH stays in its five-finger position, and RH shifts between two positions. Very mellow.

SKU: A0.734370

2018 Chamber Music Contest Entry 

The Old Rugged Cross has been a country gospel favorite ever since it became the title song of Ernest Tubb's 1952 gospel album; it has been performed by some of the twentieth century's most important recording artists, including Andy Griffith, Anne Murray, Brad Paisley, Chet Atkins, John Berry, Floyd Cramer, George Jones, Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, Loretta Lynn, Ray Price, Ricky Van Shelton, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. The Oak Ridge Boys, The Statler Brothers, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson, George Beverly Shea and John Prine on the 2007 CD Standard Songs for Average People with Mac Wiseman. British television dramatist Dennis Potter used the gospel song prominently in several of his plays, most notably Pennies from Heaven (1978); and the song also played a major part in Gridlock (2007), an episode of the long-running sci-fi drama series Doctor Who. In early 2009, the song was covered by Johnny Cash and June Carter, Kevin Max, Mahalia Jackson, Merle Haggard, and Patsy Cline. Parts included for this arrangement are: Full Score, 1st and 2nd Violin, Viola, Cello and Contrabass.

 Performance time: approx. 2 min. 15 sec.

SKU: A0.861800

Strings & Threads Suite (score - for violin and string orchestra) MO134A

Score (violin and string parts available)

Music by Mark O’Connor

43 pages - 15:00 minutes in length

I. Fair Dancer Reel - p. 1

II. Sailor’s Jig - p. 6

III. Captain’s Jig - p. 9

IV. Off To Sea - p. 11

V. Pilgim’s Waltz - p. 12

VI. Road To Appalachia - p. 15

VII. Shine On - p. 18

VIII. Cotton Pickin’ Blues - p. 21

IX. Pickin’ Parlor Rag - p. 23

X. Queen Of The Cumberland - p. 27

XI. Texas Dance Hall Blues - p. 30

XII. Swing 11:11 - p. 33

XIII. Sweet Suzanne - p. 37

Strings & Threads Suite for violin and string orchestra is a piece comprising thirteen tunes composed by Mark O’Connor. In 1986, the Tennessee Dance Theater commissioned the Suite to be performed at Nashville’s Summer Lights Festival. A few years later Edgar Meyer provided the beautiful string orchestra arrangement that is contained in this score. The individual tunes are in various folk styles appearing in a chronological order O’Connor says, not only represents the evolution of American folk music, but also mirrors his own family’s migration from Ireland and Holland to America. It traces the family’s route through the thirteen colonies initially, and then eventually West during WWI nearly 300 hundred years later. O’Connor wrote the pieces in a manner and style he felt his family could have heard along the way. The Suite begins with Irish music, perhaps similar to the music O’Connor’s family brought with them. Then in a thoughtful progression, he reveals music they must have encountered living in early America. Strings & Threads musically describes how folk music styles hundreds of years apart are interconnected – possessing a common thread – from an Irish reel to jazz. The music is suited for advanced and intermediate levels but portions of the piece can be appropriate for beginners.

Original music printed from the composer’s manuscripts.

Music editing, copying and engraving by Mark O’Connor

using Finale on Apple Macintosh 1986

Composed By Mark O’Connor

String Orchestra arrangement by Edgar Meyer

Strings & Threads Suite (violin and string orchestra version) can be heard on American Seasons Sony Classical 

Mark O’Connor – violin, Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, Scott Yoo

Catalogue Number MO134A

Copyright © 1986 by Mark O’Connor Music International

For more information on violinist and composer Mark O'Connor, O’Connor String Camps, Touring Ensembles, Discography, Bio, Repertoire and more, please visit

www.markoconnor.com

For information on the O’Connor Method – instructional book series for violin, viola, cello and school string orchestra programs:

www.oconnormethod.com