There are many ways to support The Discovery Orchestra
Our first 34 years have added up to a lot of discovery – your support has helped us present:
- 66 Discovery Concerts
- 33 Regular Symphonic and Chamber Orchestra Concerts
- 71 Music for Kids and Family Concerts
- 102 In-Home Concerts
- 99 Music Listening Classes and Courses
- 30 Concerts for Singles
- 17 Viennese Balls
- 5 Award-Winning Public Television Programs viewed by millions nationwide
- Over 180 Educational Short-Form Videos on YouTube and
- Hundreds of Outreach Programs for underserved community groups and schools.
Our attendees and supporters have made these 500+ programs possible over our first three decades – for which we are very grateful!
Corporate matching gift programs are a great way to enhance the impact of your donation. See if your company has a matching gift plan. Send your completed matching gift form to The Discovery Orchestra, Oakes Center, 120 Morris Ave, Summit, NJ 07901
You can also make a donation to the Orchestra in honor or in memory of a loved one.
The Discovery Orchestra is registered in the state of New Jersey as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 22-2822802). A copy of our latest Annual Report can be found by clicking on the Annual Reports link below on the right or requested by mail by calling 973-379-2200, x10.
We know there are many causes competing for your attention, and we greatly appreciate your consideration of a gift!
What exactly is a recurring donation? It’s a gift that a donor elects to make to an organization on a regular, ongoing basis instead of a one-time gift.
As a donor, you can set up a donation to be made weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually - no need to send a check or call us with your credit card information. You can set this up on our website, and our system will automatically charge your credit card the amount and frequency you specify.
You set the begin and end dates for your recurring gift, and we will send you an acknowledgement of your gift on a quarterly basis. If you prefer an acknowledgment more or less frequently, please let us know.
The benefits to you, as the donor, are the ease in which recurring donations can be set up, and that you are able to spread your gift out over time. The benefit to The Discovery Orchestra is that we can budget and plan with more certainty knowing your gifts will be made automatically.
If you wish to set up a recurring gift but prefer to provide your credit card information to us over the phone, please call us at 973-379-2200. We thank you for your continued support!
- 4 complimentary tickets to our Discovery Concerts
- 2 complimentary tickets to an Intimate Afternoon or Evening Recital
- Reserved seating at all Intimate Afternoon and Evening Recitals
- Member-only quarterly e-newsletters from Maestro Maull
- Special Recognition in Concert Programs
Two of our long-time Discovery Circle members have shared about their experiences as Circle supporters:
Judy Musicant & Hugh Clark, Jr.
“We love our Discovery Circle membership benefits. In addition to supporting classical music education, we enjoy preferred seating at in-home concerts and complimentary tickets to certain events. The Discovery Circle membership is a small price to pay for such a wonderful organization.”
– Judy Musicant
Phyllis Kessler & Dennis Estis
“Assisting the Orchestra with funding is the prime reason that I am a member of the Discovery Circle. Knowing that my Circle donations help support the important mission of the Orchestra is a very satisfying feeling!”
– Dennis Estis
To discuss Circle membership, contact Executive Director Ginny Johnston at 973-379-2200, x-15 or Ginny@DiscoveryOrchestra.org.
Discovery Circle Members
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Aquila
Ms. Judy Musicant & Mr. Hugh Clark, Jr.
Ms. Phyllis Kessler & Mr. Dennis Estis
Dr. & Mrs. Frank Gump
Mr. & Mrs. Louis Matlack
Dr & Mrs. Rajaram Rao
Create Your Legacy with The Discovery Orchestra!
A Planned Gift can benefit you, your family and the music you love.
Planned giving combines financial, estate and charitable planning—with a focus on meeting your personal goals and needs. It enables you to give from your assets and to make larger gifts than you thought possible, often with significant tax benefits. Planned giving can help you generate predictable income during your lifetime and preserve your wealth for your family while nurturing your favorite charitable causes for future generations.
Special Recognition of Planned Gifts – The Maestro Society
As a contributor to The Discovery Orchestra’s planned giving program, you will join a wonderful group of supporters led by our founder and Artistic Director, George Marriner Maull. Maestro Maull has made a provision in his will for a planned gift to The Discovery Orchestra to support the music listening mission of the Orchestra—his life’s work—for future generations. As a member of the Maestro Society you will have the opportunity to enjoy a special relationship with Maestro Maull. Maestro Society members receive lifetime recognition in all of our concert programs and an invitation to an annual event with the Maestro.
Types of Planned Gifts
From a simple bequest to more complex arrangements, we welcome the opportunity to work with you and your advisors in planning a gift that suits your particular goals and needs. Outlined below are the key features and benefits of different types of planned gifts:
Bequest
A bequest allows you to designate a specific amount or percentage of your estate to The Discovery Orchestra and to realize an estate tax deduction.
Annuity
An annuity provides predictable income to you during your lifetime. Some portion of these payments may be tax-free. A charitable gift annuity may also offer you a current income tax deduction.
Trust
With a charitable remainder trust, you pass assets to a trust that will make payments to you for a period of time or life and reduce your income, capital gains and estate tax burdens. A charitable lead trust makes payment to the Orchestra for a set period of time and then returns the assets to your family. A lead trust offers potential gift tax savings to heirs in the future.
Appreciated Stock
A gift of appreciated stock can benefit the Orchestra immediately, allow you to reduce capital gains taxes and offer substantial income tax savings to you.
Retirement Plan
A donation of a retirement plan will allow you to avoid double taxation of retirement assets.
Life Insurance
A life insurance gift will allow you to make a large contribution at a small cost to you.
Real Estate or Other Personal Property
A gift of real estate, art, collectibles, an automobile or other personal property can benefit the Orchestra immediately, allow you to reduce capital gains taxes and offer substantial income tax savings to you.
For more information about the Maestro Society and to learn how you can make a planned gift that meets your financial, estate and charitable goals, please contact Ginny Johnston, Executive Director, at Ginny@DiscoveryOrchestra.org.
We would be happy to discuss your specific circumstances in confidence with you. Please let us know if you have chosen to designate The Discovery Orchestra as a beneficiary of your estate. Thank you!
Care2Share – Investors Bank
We are pleased to announce that The Discovery Orchestra has made an important addition to our fundraising efforts. We’ve joined the Investors Bank Care2Share Affinity Program, a free benefit that will provide us with regular contributions throughout the year. Here’s how it works:
If you are an existing Investors Bank client, you can enroll your Investors Bank accounts with our Care2Share program, and the bank will provide us with quarterly contributions. These contributions will be equivalent to .25% of the average balance of all personal checking accounts and .15% of the average balance of all personal savings accounts (including money market accounts, CDs and IRAs).
Please remember:
- It costs nothing to enroll your account with our program
- Your interest rates and account features remain the same
- Your banking information (the products you use, your balances, etc.) remains strictly confidential
If you’re not yet a customer of Investors, we hope you’ll consider them for your personal banking needs.
Account Enrollment forms are available from our office – just email Diane@DiscoveryOrchestra.org for a form. The form can also be picked up at any Investors Bank Branch, or downloaded from myinvestorsbank.com/Care2Share.
To learn more about how Care2Share benefits us, please call the Orchestra office at 973-379-2200, stop by any Investors Bank Branch or call the Investors’ Client Care Center at 855-iBank4U (855-422-6548).
Thank you for your continued support!
Through the mail.
Send a check, payable to The Discovery Orchestra, to:
The Discovery Orchestra
Oakes Center
120 Morris Ave
Summit, NJ 07901
Over the phone.
Use your credit card by calling the Orchestra office at 973-379-2200, x10 Monday-Thursday, 10am – 4pm.
Through a stock or securities gift.
Please contact Executive Director Ginny Johnston at 973-379-2200,x15 or Ginny@DiscoveryOrchestra.org for details.
Through workplace giving programs.
If your company has a structured workplace giving program, you can make a donation through regular payroll deductions. If a company’s giving program includes the United Way, employees can look for a “donor choice” option line and fill in The Discovery Orchestra.
Thank you for providing the free online learning videos! We had our students listen to The Firebird Suite Lullaby & Finale and read an article where researchers found evidence that a conch shell was used as an instrument 17,000 years ago. Then students drew a picture (grades K-2) or wrote (grades 3-8) about how the music made them feel.