Mark O'Connor. Photo by Erica Horn
To say that bluegrass has really come to town might be an understatement on the campus of famous Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass.
Fiddler-turned-master-violinist Mark O’Connor will help the music school introduce its new American Roots Music Program next month of part of his week-long residency.
The inaugural event will take place Dec. 10 when O’Connor performs with a group of faculty and students.
The American Roots program will be under the leadership of violinist Matt Glaser, who has carved out his own niche with his eclectic performance background.
Glaser said students in the new program will delve into many forms of American music, including bluegrass, blues, gospel, folk, country, Cajun, Western swing, polka and Tex-Mex.
Bluegrass names are showing up on the list of the new program’s board of advisers. Among members are Ricky Skaggs, Bela Fleck, Leo Kottke, Charlie Haden, Edgar Meyer, David Grisman, Andy Statman, Don Rigsby, Lloyd Maines, Liz Carroll, John Blake, Geoff Muldaur, Bruce Molsky, Ted Gioia, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Darol Anger, Ray Benson, Doug Wamble, John Lawless, Fletcher Bright, Sara and Sean Watkins and Micheal Doucet.
Meanwhile, the Americana and Roots concert featuring Mark O’Connor begins at 8:15 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Berklee Performance Center. Glaser and another faculty member, John McGann, will perform as will student bluegrass groups, the Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra, and the Berklee Jazz/World String Orchestra.