(WARREN, NJ) -- The Discovery Orchestra (the Orchestra) will celebrate its 30th anniversary season with Are You Hungary? Discover Brahms!, a concert and gala reception at Drew University on Sunday, April 30, 2017. The concert will be held from 3:00pm to 5:00pm and the gala reception will take place from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. Concert audience members will enjoy a performance of Brahms’ Hungarian Dances Nos. 6 & 11. In traditional Discovery Concert format, the Orchestra’s Artistic Director, Maestro George Marriner Maull, will interactively guide audiences through the musical details of the selections.
The gala celebration will honor Mountainside residents Judy Musicant and Hugh Clark with the annual Discovery Award that recognizes an individual or couple for their longtime support of the Orchestra’s music education mission and work. The gala’s Honorary Chair, former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean Sr., will deliver remarks. Other notable attendees include MaryAnn Baenninger, President of Drew University; Virginia Johnston, Executive Director of The Discovery Orchestra and several other leading figures in the New Jersey community.
Along with cocktails and various food selections, the evening will include two fine dining raffle prizes totaling $3,000 in value. All proceeds from the celebration will go toward the Orchestra’s mission of teaching the attentive listening skills that help people of all backgrounds better comprehend, experience and emotionally connect with classical music through their live interactive concerts, intimate gatherings, community outreach events and award-winning public television programming.
“I’m thrilled that we are celebrating 30 years of providing top-notch music education programs and performances,” said Virginia Johnston, Executive Director of The Discovery Orchestra. “It’s important to step back and reflect on the Orchestra’s evolution from a performing orchestra to a teaching orchestra and to embrace and promote this singular niche.”
“Three decades is a substantial amount of time to devote to any enterprise,” said George Marriner Maull, Artistic Director of The Discovery Orchestra. “As we mark this milestone anniversary at The Discovery Orchestra, we can think of no higher purpose than helping people really connect with classical music as listeners. It is an endeavor worthy of another 30 years!”
As part of their extensive community outreach work, the Orchestra has invited 40 students and their families from The Paterson Music Project to attend the concert celebration free of charge. The Paterson Music Project is an El Sistema-inspired program that provides intensive music instruction to elementary school students attending the Community Charter School of Paterson. Maestro Maull will also hold two music listening workshops for 60 students from the Paterson Music Project in May.
Tickets for Discovery Concert: Are You Hungary? Discover Brahms! are available online.
The Discovery Orchestra® (the Orchestra) is a nonprofit music education organization based in Warren, 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 make the appreciation of classical music accessible to the general public. Founded in 1987, the Orchestra engages audiences through live interactive concerts, intimate gatherings and community outreach events. The Orchestra’s award-winning media programs are available for purchase or streaming on Amazon, and its eight-part series Fall in Love with Music is currently airing nationwide on American Public Television. For more information on the Orchestra, visit www.discoveryorchestra.org, or connect with the Orchestra on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.
