Musicians, and all music lovers, will have a rare chance to learn in a workshop setting with famed fiddler Mark O’Connor on Friday, Oct. 24. Musician, composer, and a pioneer in violin and string education, O’Connor and fellow violinist Maggie Dixon will speak about his groundbreaking method, which teaches string players technical and theoretical foundations while also exploring skills in improvising with the music they’ve learned.

Friday evening’s UVM Lane Series concert by the Sphinx Virtuosi provided the impetus for O’Connor’s late-breaking plan to visit Burlington. He noted that the group, comprised of 18 of the nation’s top black and Latino classical soloists, would be performing one of his pieces in their program. O’Connor contacted the Lane Series about his desire to come up to Vermont for the concert and offer a workshop while he is in town.

It was probably the easiest decision Lane Series director Natalie Neuert will have all year.

“Mark O’Connor really is one of the most versatile and important musicians in the world: as a composer his work is performed by major symphony orchestras; as a fiddler he plays with the all time greats like Edgar Meyer, Bela Fleck and Sam Bush; and as an educator he is unfailingly generous of his time, technique and wisdom about all things strings,” Neuert says. “We are just blown away by the fact that he contacted us about coming to UVM to offer a workshop. "

The workshop — Friday, Oct. 24, 4-5:30 p.m., Southwick Music Building Ballroom — is free and open to the public. String players are encouraged to bring their instruments, as O’Connor and Dixon will teach a tune as part of the workshop. Non-musicians are welcome to attend, as well, Neuert emphasizes.

To register: call 802-656-4455 or e-mail natalie.neuert@uvm.edu. The Lane Series is also offering a special ticket price for workshop attendees to attend that evening’s Sphinx Virtuosi concert. The Mark O’Connor workshop is presented by the Lane Series and the UVM Department of Music & Dance, with support from Young Tradition Vermont and Vermont Violins.