Discover Saint-Saëns’ “Organ” Symphony

The Summit, New Jersey-based orchestra is offering free tickets to individuals and groups to the Sunday, September 18, concert, which will be taped for broadcast for its sixth national public television special. Featuring a 90-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.

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 premiered the same year in London, the majestic masterpiece 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.

Free tickets — for individuals and groups of up to 25 — are available online or calling 973-379-2200. Only ages 8 and up will be admitted. Attendees are asked to arrive on time in their Sunday best for the taping, which runs from 2:45pm to 4:30pm.