String Spectacle: Mark O'Connor teams up with Berklee for Summer Program

Mark O'Connor adds a new dimension to Berklee's summer string program.
By
Rob Hochschild
August 26, 2011

String virtuoso Mark O'Connor, whose popular string camps have drawn musicians to sites across the country, brings his expertise to Berklee with the Mark O’Connor/Berklee College of Music Summer String Program.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

From left, Carrie Turner, Mariana Green-Hill, Ashley Liberty, and Melissa Tong perform as a quartet.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Daniel Bernard Roumain infuses hip-hop and rock into his violin playing.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Francine Trester, associate professor of composition (left), and String Department chair Melissa Howe.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Matt Glaser is the artistic director for the American Roots Music Program, which kicked off two years ago with a residency by O'Connor.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

String virtuoso Mark O'Connor, whose popular string camps have drawn musicians to sites across the country, brings his expertise to Berklee with the Mark O’Connor/Berklee College of Music Summer String Program.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth

For one week this summer, more than 100 violinists, violists, cellists, and acoustic bass players converged on the Berklee campus to study with multiple-Grammy winning violinist, composer, and educator Mark O'Connor, as well as some of the world's leading string virtuosos and educators from Berklee and beyond at this summer's Mark O'Connor/Berklee College of Music String Program. 

Of the 101 enrolled, 72 students participated in the main program for intermediate and advanced string players; 17 in the O'Connor Method for Beginners for string players in grades 1 through 6; and 12 in the Teacher Training Program, which certified professionals to teach the O'Connor Method.

Not only did the string players get to study with the renowned O'Connor—whose own musical roots draw from mentors Benny Thomasson and Stephane Grappelli—but also with other world-class musicians such as Daniel Bernard Roumain(Opens in a new window) and Tracy Silverman(Opens in a new window) as well as Berklee faculty Matt Glaser, Melissa Howe, and Dave Hollender. 

The string program is not O'Connor's first collaboration with Berklee. In 2009, he helped kick off Berklee's American Roots Music Program with a weeklong residency featuring clinics, master classes, and a concert. 

While Berklee and O'Connor held competing string camps in previous years, 2011 was the first year the two joined educational forces.

"This is certainly helping bring more string players to our campus," said Dana Acker, director of summer programs. "Those 101 devoted string students are not only getting Mark O'Connor, but they're also getting Berklee."