Road to Appalachia featuring Mark & Maggie O’Connor
August 7, 2026, at 7:30 pm
Weill Hall, Green Music Center
Francesco Lecce-Chong, conductor
Mark O’Connor, violin
Maggie O’Connor, violin
GABRIELA LENA FRANK: Elegía Andina
AARON COPLAND: Appalachian Spring
GABRIELA LENA FRANK: Escaramuza
MARK O'CONNOR:
Song of the Liberty Bell for Violin and String Orchestra
Strings & Threads Suite for Violin and String Orchestra
GRAMMY Award-winning Violinists Mark O'Connor and Maggie O'Connor return to Santa Rosa with music that bridges concert hall tradition and the roots of American sound. Their works Song of the Liberty Bell and Strings & Threads Suite blend classical form with folk melodies and virtuosic fiddling, creating a vibrant, living expression of American music.
At the heart of the program is Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, a landmark of the American repertoire. Premiered in 1944 for Martha Graham, the score captures a sense of optimism and renewal, culminating in the beloved Shaker tune “Simple Gifts.”
Woven throughout the concert are two striking works by Gabriela Lena Frank Elegía Andina and Escaramuza—which draw on Latin American influences to expand and enrich the idea of what “American” music can be.
From Appalachian landscapes to Andean echoes, this program traces a musical journey shaped by tradition, migration, and reinvention—an evolving portrait of a nation in sound.
Programs, dates, artists, and prices are subject to change without notice. Tickets are subject to availability.