The Thrill of the Orchestra

Instrument Demonstration Piece for Narrator and Orchestra

Living up to its title, The Thrill of the Orchestra colorfully illustrates the instruments and how they are played. Suitable for all audiences, young and adult.

Frequently performed and repeated by many major American and foreign orchestras (Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Montreal, Royal Philharmonic, etc.) and more than 100 regional and other orchestras across the United States, “The Thrill” is a contemporary classic of the educational genre.

Translations available in German, French, and Spanish. “The Thrill” has also been performed in Cantonese, Korean, Hebrew, Portuguese and Japanese.

“always knocks the socks off the audience” Symphony Magazine

“a great advertisement for classical music . . . intersperses music with vivacious narration” Island Packet

“fresh, tuneful . . . rhythmically engaging, deftly orchestrated . . . Peck deserves a special bravo” New Jersey Star-Ledger

duration: 13′

(1985)

3(3rd db. picc.)/2+E.h./2+b.cl./2+cbn.  4/3/3/1
timp.  3  perc.  strings
narrator

[The full-size orchestra may be reduced by the omission of any or all of the following instruments: fl. III, E.h., b.cl., cbn., tpt. III, perc. III. Cues for these instruments are provided in other parts

A chamber orchestra version (using different score & parts) has instrumentation as follows: 2/2/2/2  2/2/1/1 (tbn. & tuba are optional)
timp.  1 perc.  (or timp./perc. 1 player) strings
narrator