The Discovery Orchestra Tapes Sixth Concert Special

The Discovery Orchestra made a welcome return to the concert stage Sunday after a pandemic break with an exploration of French composer Camille Saint-Saëns'epic masterwork Symphony No. 3 in C Minor (the "Organ" Symphony). The Emmy Award-nominated, Summit, New Jersey-based orchestra, led by Founder and Artistic Director George Marriner Maull, taped its sixth national public television special at the Hauser Auditorium at The Pingry School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. The special, Discover Saint-Saëns' "Organ" Symphony, features a 90-piece orchestra and is projected to begin a three-year national distribution by American Public Television in May.

Comprised of a diverse roster of virtuoso musicians, The Discovery Orchestra has introduced millions around the world to the joys of listening to classical music through interactive performances, or Discovery Concerts. Its television specials are 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.

Composed in 1886 and premiered the same year in London, the majestic "Organ" Symphony 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, a Bedminster resident, and featuring Plainfield-based organist Mark Miller and West Nyack-based concertmaster Peter Winograd, The Discovery Orchestra shares an interactive exploration of the breathtaking Finale of Symphony No. 3. The piece was musically adapted for use in the score for the1995 family film Babe and its 1998 sequel Babe: Pig in the City.

The live taping saw Maestro Maull engage and inform the audience members of the intricacies of the piece, including different musical themes, developments of these themes and transitions of the piece.

"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," said Maull of the special.

Attendees include members of several groups, like the Rhythms for Life program of the Morris County (NJ) Chapter of The Links, Newark Boys Chorus School (NBCS), the Gay Activist Alliance of Morris County (GAAMC), Drew University and the Newark School of the Arts. These diverse groups of music lovers were all united in the thunderous applause they showered the orchestra with following the performance.

"This was an outstanding event, meticulously planned AND executed! Our students and families were thrilled and so very thankful," said NBCS Head of School Paul Chapin. "The Discovery Orchestra is a wonderful organization, and your mission is vital."

"In the words of our Program Director, Ramelle Massey, Sunday's event was absolutely fantastic!" said Marjorie Rich of Rhythms of Life. "Many thanks to the Discovery Orchestra organizers for a wonderful afternoon."

About The Discovery Orchestra:

The Discovery Orchestra® (the 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 in1987, the Orchestra engages audiences through live interactive concerts, intimate gatherings, community outreach events and television and digital content. Its Emmy-nominated programs Bach to the Future, DiscoverBeethoven's 5th and Discover Vivaldi's Four Seasons; Discover the Firebird; and the eight-part series Fall in Love with Music; are available on AmazonPrime Video. Fall in Love with Music, Discover Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Discover the Firebird can be viewed on PBS Passport.

About APT:

American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of content to U.S. public television stations. For 60 years, APT has distinguished itself by delivering an ambitious volume of high-quality programs to public media.APT's diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performances, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children's series, and news and current affairs programs. Midsomer Murders, America's Test Kitchen, AfroPoP, RickSteves' Europe, Pacific Heartbeat, Christopher Kimball's Milk StreetTelevision, The Indian Doctor, Legacy List with Matt Paxton, Lidia'sKitchen, Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, Front & Center, James Patterson's Kid Stewand NHK Newsline are a sampling of APT's programs. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service and distributesCreate®TV - featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming- and WORLD(tm), public television's premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT's programs and services, visit APTonline.org.

Photo Credit: LD Bright Photography

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