Little bit country, little bit classical.

Byline: Bob Keefer The Register-Guard

Mark O'Connor's musical life started out purely in classical mode. Then his mother discovered Johnny Cash.

"My mother would not allow anything but classical music to be played on the family stereo," O'Connor said in a recent phone interview. "She was a real artsy type person. She really enjoyed things that were interesting and had an interesting history, and when Johnny Cash came on television the whole family sat around and watched it. My mother became a Johnny Cash fan. So did I."

That may have been the point at which the violin started becoming the fiddle for O'Connor, who now blends both kinds of music into a single unique voice.

Next week he brings cellist Natalie Haas and violist Carol Cook to the Shedd to perform with him as the Appalachia Waltz Trio.

The group does chamber music with a twang - music that O'Connor created for his Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey projects, which he originally performed with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and bassist Edgar Meyer.

Appalachian Journey received a Grammy Award in 2001.

O'Connor's music can't be easily pigeonholed. The Los Angeles Times wrote that he has "crossed over so many boundaries, that his style is purely personal."

His music was included in John Williams' score of the movie "The Patriot." He has appeared at the White House and at the ceremonies of Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Games, for which he composed "Olympic Reel."

Throughout his career O'Connor has tried to weave the strengths of folk and pop into his classical background.

"I started getting ideas for this kind of thing way back when I was a teenager," he said. "Like with `False Dawn' in 1982."

O'Connor even played all the instruments on that recording. "At that point in my development I didn't know acoustic musicians who could handle that kind of project," he said.

CONCERT PREVIEW Mark O'Connor's Appalachia Waltz Trio What: Chamber music with a twang Where: The Shedd, 285 E. Broadway When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday Tickets: $28 to $38 (434-7000) Extra: Pre-concert 6 p.m. dinner at the Shedd, $17.50, by reservation only (434-7000)