George Marriner Maull, Artistic Director

EDUCATOR & PUBLIC TELEVISION PERSONALITY

George Marriner Maull, Artistic Director of The Discovery Orchestra and three-time Emmy-nominated public television personality, has helped millions of individuals nationwide  become more perceptive listeners and to heighten their classical music listening pleasure!

Whether on the podium or in lecture settings, his enthusiasm for classical music is contagious. His blog posts and thought leadership pieces on listening have been featured by The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and worldwide by Minnesota Public Radio, London-based Bachtrack, The Violin Channel, Pick the Brain, and Arianna Huffington’s new site Thrive Global.  His tweets and YouTube Discovery Orchestra Chats continue to attract followers on six continents, and public radio stations WBJC-FM in Baltimore, WWFM in New Jersey and NPR-KJZZ in Phoenix have featured interviews with Maestro Maull.

As host of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Classical Overtures for over a decade, Maestro Maull has presented pre-performance chats before world-renowned ensembles and artists such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Salzburg Mozarteum, Philadelphia Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Yo-Yo Ma, Yuja Wang, Itzhak Perlman and Renée Fleming.  Now in its fourth season, Maestro Maull’s radio program Inside Music on WWFM The Classical Network is broadcast on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month at 7:30 pm.

Maestro Maull is featured as conductor and host of three Emmy-nominated Discovery Concerts©, all previously distributed nationally by American Public Television:  Bach to the Future©, Discover Beethoven’s 5th© and Discover Vivaldi’s Four Seasons©.  All are available to viewers online at Amazon.com, as well as his 8 part signature series, Fall in Love with Music©.

HONORS & AWARDS

• Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, Marquis Who’s Who (2018)
• Alumni Fellow, University of Louisville (2018)
• Two Cable Telly Awards, Fall in Love with Music (2016)
• Emmy Nomination, Discover Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (2014)
• Three Cable Telly Awards, Discover Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (2013)
• Emmy Nomination, Discover Beethoven’s 5th (2012)
• Three Cable Telly Awards, Discover Beethoven’s 5th (2011)
• New Jersey Excellence in Arts Award (2005)
• Emmy Nomination, Bach to the Future (2004)
• Biography in Who’s Who in America (1997 – present)
• Conductor Laureate, New Jersey Youth Symphony (1997)
• Distinguished Alumnus, University of Louisville (1994)
• Art Effects: Young & Noteworthy, WNET-Channel 13, NY, Documentary (1987) 
• Medal of the Belgian Ministry of Culture (1983)
• 1st Prize with Honors, 32nd European Muziek Festival (1983)

CONDUCTOR

Founder and artistic director of The Discovery Orchestra, his former posts include music director and conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of New Jersey, Louisville Ballet, New Jersey Youth Symphony, Bloomingdale Chamber Orchestra, Plainfield Symphony and the Eastern Suffolk Symphony. He has appeared as a guest conductor with the Kentucky Opera, New York Virtuosi Chamber Symphony, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Washington Square Festival Orchestra in New York City and the Orchestras of the Aaron Copland School of Music in New York City and the University of Louisville School of Music.  He has conducted performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, as well as in England, Belgium, The Netherlands, Poland, Hungary and Romania.  His musical affiliations in New Jersey began with his appointment for the 1979-80 season as assistant conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.

RECORDINGS

His CD releases conducting the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in compositions by Max Schubel, Ernst Levy and Frank Ezra Levy with cello soloist Scott Ballantyne are on the Naxos label.

VIOLIST

Formerly a professional violist with the American Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Caramoor Festival Orchestra and Louisville Orchestra, George Marriner Maull had the privilege of performing under many celebrated musicians of the 20^th century including Igor Stravinsky, Pierre Boulez, Sir George Solti, Arthur Fiedler, Aaron Copland, Lukas Foss, and Robert Shaw.

TRAINING

A Philadelphia native, he received choral training and studied piano at St. Peter’s Choir School under Harold Wells Gilbert and studied viola with Irving Segall of The Philadelphia Orchestra. During high school he was a student of pianist, composer and educator Dr. Saul Feinberg, who would become his life-long mentor.  At the University of Louisville, where he received his bachelor of music and master of music degrees in viola performance, he was a student of Paul Kling. He later continued his studies at The Juilliard School with composers Robert Smolensky and Lawrence Widdoes.  His conducting teachers were Richard Johannes Lert and Jorge Mester.

INTERVIEWS

David Osenberg of WWFM-The Classical Network  interviews Maestro Maull about The Discovery Orchestra and music listening.
Part 1 & Part 2.

Jeff Friedman interviews Maestro Maull about increasing the pleasure you get from listening to classical music!

Maestro Maull discusses TDO’s YouTube Discovery Chats and the ‘discovery process’ with Frank Macioce of HomeTowne TV.

John Patten of The Warren Patch interviews Maestro Maull after TDO receives a 2011-2012 grant from The New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Refer to "In The News" for a full listing of interviews and other articles.

FOR BOOKINGS

Guest appearances, contact pamina282@gmail.com.

Orchestra Executive Staff

RICK KALLER, Executive Director

Rick received his Bachelor of Arts in music and history from Rutgers College and his Masters of Business Administration from New York University. He has spent much of his professional career in music education publishing, having worked for Silver Burdett Ginn (Pearson), McGraw-Hill Education, and Hal Leonard Corporation. He managed the development of numerous music textbook and supplemental programs that have been used nationwide, including Spotlight on Music and Music Express Magazine.

Rick started piano lessons at age 4. He gave his first solo recital at age 9 and won several local and state competitions. In high school, he attended The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division as a Gina Bachauer International Piano Scholarship Award recipient, studying under Leonard Eisner. He continued his piano studies in college at the Eastman School of Music as a student of Barry Snyder. He currently serves as the Director of Music at Kitchell Memorial Presbyterian Church in East Hanover, NJ. Rick has served on the Education and Strategic Planning committees at The Discovery Orchestra for several years, bringing a strong background in arts education, project management, and product development to the organization. He is delighted to be working with TDO in his new role!  Email: Rick@DiscoveryOrchestra.org.

VIRGINIA JOHNSTON, Finance Director

Virginia Johnston received her Bachelor of Music (Summa Cum Laude, University Scholar) from Syracuse University and her Master of Music (with Honors) from Boston University in both composition and clarinet performance. She has also studied choral conducting at Westminster Choir College through their Continuing Education department. Starting as an Administrator with the Philharmonic Orchestra of New Jersey (TDO’s predecessor organization) in 1992, she assumed the responsibilities of Managing Director in 1999 and Executive Director in 2009, and remained in that role for 13 years. As of September 2022, Ginny assumed the Finance Director position. She brings strong organizational, problem-solving and grant writing skills to The Discovery Orchestra. She has served as Executive Producer for several of the Orchestra’s public television programs. Ginny previously worked as Music Director at the Springfield Emanuel United Methodist Church and is a professional free-lance clarinetist, conductor and composer in the tri-state area. Her works, several of which are published, have been performed by the Society for New Music, the Tunnel Vision Writer’s Project of Montclair and the New Jersey Youth Symphony at Alice Tully Hall, among others. In 1992, she co-founded Triad Arts Ensemble, a non-profit performing arts organization. Through Triad, Ginny has co-chaired the annual Canticles for Life AIDS Benefit Concerts in New Jersey since 1997. Over $200,000 has been raised in this effort to date. Since 1995, she has been Conductor of the Triad Vocal Ensemble, a mixed adult community choir specializing in accessible contemporary repertoire as well as traditional works, with a focus on female composers and New Jersey composers. Ginny currently serves as an Assistant Conductor of the Garden State Symphonic Band and a substitute conductor for the Maplewood Community Band. Ms. Johnston performs locally as a singer-songwriter in folk/rock and jazz styles and has released two CD’s of original material. She lives in Maplewood, NJ with her family. Email: Ginny@DiscoveryOrchestra.org.

CHRISTINE THORSEN, Project Manager

A Cum Laude graduate of Montclair State University, Christine comes to us with considerable corporate experience, first at Merrill Lynch/Bank of America in New York City where she served as Assistant Vice-President, Executive Services; Vice-President/Group Administrator; and Director, Global Conference, Dining and Training Services. She has also formerly been Administrative Assistant of Student Services at the Unity Charter School in Morristown and will continue as part-time remote Club Administrator of the Kellogg Club in Morristown as she now serves The Discovery Orchestra part-time.  Email:  Christine@DiscoveryOrchestra.org.

MICHAEL AVAGLIANO, Operations & Outreach Coordinator

Michael Avagliano, a graduate of Indiana University and Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, is currently Music Director and Conductor of both the Summit Symphony Orchestra and the Somerset Symphony and was formerly Music Director and Conductor of the Manalapan Symphony Orchestra. He was formerly Executive Director of the New Jersey State Youth Orchestra.  In addition he is a professional violinist and violist and a member of the Madison String Quartet.  He is also the Director of the Drew University Orchestra and an Adjunct Lecturer at Drew. Email:  Michael@DiscoveryOrchestra.org.

Board Members

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

AMBASSADORS

We are very grateful for the support provided by our 2023-2024 Season sponsors!

The Kosloski Family Foundation

George A. Ohl, Jr. Trust

Discovery Video Screenings sponsored by
Dan & Gail Kopp (Discover Vivaldi’s Four Seasons)
Rachel Weinberger & Ed McGann (Discover Mozart: Variations on a Familiar Tune)

"Inside Music" on WWFM - The Classical Network sponsored by
Main Street Wealth Management; Robert Scott, Managing Partner
Alfonso Finocchiaro (in memory of Diana Finocchiaro)
Episode sponsors: Hugh Clark, Bruce & Carla Hogg, and Alix Weisz

Intimate Afternoon concert sponsored by

Live "Inside Music" Discovery Concert Broadcast sponsored by
Sandra Braddy-Hall
Sandra Brown Sherman
Stephen Reynolds
Sherman Atlas Sylvester & Stamelman LLP

"Discover Beethoven's 5th" TV show Re-release sponsored by
Bruce & Carla Hogg
The V.A. Johnston Charitable Fund
Main Street Wealth Management; Robert Scott, Managing Partner

Community Outreach Programs sponsored by
Alimah Boyd
Sandra Braddy-Hall

Dyan Bryson
Hugh Clark
Dave Emmerling
Raymond Grimes
Sue Head
Anne Herbert
Bruce & Carla Hogg
Salvatore & Cathryn Iorio
Victor Keremedjiev
Dan & Gail Kopp
Ed McGann
Jean Merrill
Kit Murphy
Bill & Patricia O’Connor
Vincent Termini
Ernst Wessel Foundation
Dave & Ellen Williams