Return of the Discovery Orchestra

An American orchestra returns post-pandemic to help its audience find inspiration

Led by Founder and Artistic Director George Marriner Maull, The Discovery Orchestra makes a welcome return to the concert stage after a pandemic break for an exploration of French composer Camille Saint-Saëns' epic masterwork Symphony No 3 in C minor (the 'Organ' Symphony). The Summit, New Jersey, USA-based orchestra, which has introduced millions around the world to the joys of listening to classical music, is offering free tickets to individuals and groups to its Sunday 18 September 2022 concert, which will be taped for broadcast for its sixth national public television special. Featuring a ninety-piece orchestra and taped at the Hauser Auditorium at the Pingry School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Discover Saint-Saëns' 'Organ' Symphony is projected to begin a three-year national distribution by American Public Television in May 2023.

George Marriner Maull. Photo © L D Bright Photography

Comprised of a diverse roster of virtuoso musicians, The Discovery Orchestra introduces classical music to the masses through entertaining and informative interactive performances, or Discovery Concerts. Its television specials are Emmy Award-nominated and Telly Award-winning and include Bach to the Future, Discover Beethoven's 5th, Discover Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Fall in Love with Music and Discover The Firebird.

Discover Saint-Saëns' 'Organ' Symphony will feature New Jersey-based organist Mark Miller and West Nyack-based concertmaster Peter Winograd. Composed in 1886 and first performed the same year in London, the work was such an overwhelming success that Saint-Saëns was quoted as saying, 'I gave everything to it I was able to give. What I have here accomplished, I will never achieve again.' In this one-hour special led by Maull, The Discovery Orchestra will share an interactive exploration of the breathtaking Finale of Symphony No 3, which was musically adapted for use in the score for the 1995 family film Babe and its 1998 sequel Babe: Pig in the City.

Mark Miller

'The Saint-Saëns' Symphony No 3 Finale is one of the most uplifting compositions ever written by any composer, and we aim to transport audiences into the heart of this piece for a powerful boost to everyone navigating these most difficult times', says Maull.

Free tickets — for individuals and groups of up to twenty-five — are available by visiting www.discoveryorchestra.org/discover-saint-saens or by calling +1 973 379 2200. Only ages eight and up will be admitted. Attendees are asked to arrive on time in their Sunday best for the taping, which runs from 2:45 to 4:30pm.

Pingry's Hauser Auditorium is located at 131 Martinsville Road in Basking Ridge. Pingry is an accessible facility, and The Discovery Orchestra is committed to accessibility. Upon request, and with two weeks' notice, specific accommodations for large print programs, Braille materials and audio described services will be made, subject to the group's available resources.

The concert is being made possible by generous support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as Michael J Johnston, Kosloski Family Foundation, David & Ellen Williams, Bill & Patricia O'Connor Charitable Fund, F M Kirby Foundation, Bob & Cynthia Hamburger, Main Street Wealth Management and Mr & Mrs Sterling L Pierson.

The Discovery Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) music education organization based in Summit, New Jersey, teaching the attentive listening skills that help people of all backgrounds better comprehend, experience and emotionally connect with classical music. Under the direction of Artistic Director George Marriner Maull, the orchestra uses a welcoming and humorous approach to classical music appreciation for the general public. Founded in 1987, the orchestra engages audiences through live interactive concerts, intimate gatherings, community outreach events and television and digital content. Its programs Bach to the Future, Discover Beethoven's 5th, Discover Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Discover the Firebird and the eight-part series Fall in Love with Music are available on Amazon Prime Video. Fall in Love with Music, Discover Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Discover the Firebird can be viewed on PBS Passport.

Further information: discoveryorchestra.org

Posted 20 July 2022 by Alimah Boyd

CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS