The sound of Mark O’Connor’s violin filled the small space at Acoustic Artisans on Saturday. The last time his violin arrived at the studio and workshop on Congress Street, last spring, it was unplayable.

Acoustic Artisans owner Jonathan Cooper had made the violin and sold it to O’Connor in 2002. O’Connor called on him to repair it in April after a microphone cord snagged and caused it to fall to the floor.

Cooper painstakingly took the violin apart, repaired cracks and built a new bass bar. The result was a renewed violin that bursts with “gusto and fire,” O’Connor said.

The renowned violinist came to Portland partly to promote a camp taking place next summer using his “O’Connor method” of teaching that allows students to learn to play through American music.

O’Connor told the Portland Press Herald last week that he also wants to help people recognize that there are great American-made violins, too, like those made by Cooper.

He played again Sunday evening to a sold-out show.


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