The Discovery Orchestra began its life 24 years ago in Somerset County as the Philharmonic Orchestra of New Jersey, a professional freelance orchestra founded to present classical orchestral concerts for the growing population in that region of the state.
Over the years, its mission evolved, culminating in a name change in July, 2006. The mission of the Discovery Orchestra is to teach the listening skills that help people emotionally connect to classical music. This is achieved through intimate gatherings, live performances and media programs, combining performance with interactive instruction to help individuals develop music listening skills that will enable them to receive powerful, aesthetic experiences from music.
The Discovery Orchestra offers: Discovery Concerts and Discover More sessions for adults and teens; Intimate Evenings and Intimate Afternoons in-home chamber music recitals, which include Discovery segments; Fall in Love with Music listening courses and outreach programs for under-served youth.