Double bassist Orin O’Brien is the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary The Only Girl in the Orchestra. A trailblazer as the first woman to play full-time with the New York Philharmonic, Orin spent an impressive 55 years with the orchestra, collaborating with some of the most celebrated names in music, including Leonard Bernstein and Igor Stravinsky.
Despite her illustrious career, Orin has always shied away from the spotlight. When her niece, director Molly O’Brien, first proposed creating a documentary about her life, Orin initially rejected the idea.
“I absolutely said ‘no’ because I’m a rather private person. I do my playing in public, of course, but my practicing in private,” said Orin, now 87, in an interview with Classic FM. “With my parents being actors, I didn’t want that life. I’m not used to being featured as someone whose life was interesting.”
However, after much consideration and knowing her niece was behind the project, Orin eventually agreed. “I was very reluctant… but she’s just a wonderful person,” Orin explained. “She’s my only living relative at this point, and I felt I wanted to go along with her.”
The Only Girl in the Orchestra has now been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film. Orin, however, maintains a humble perspective, saying, “It’s a tribute to her more than to me, as far as I’m concerned. It’s nothing to do with me – I’m only the subject of this little collection of vignettes.”
Orin’s musical journey began in 1956 when she joined the New York City Ballet for 10 years under the guidance of George Balanchine. During this period, she played under the direction of Stravinsky himself, recalling their collaboration on Agon, a challenging ballet that required the orchestra to perform complex rhythms and high harmonics on double bass.
When she joined the New York Philharmonic in 1966, Orin became the first woman to be hired as a full-time member, remaining with the orchestra until her retirement in 2021. Orin attributes her hiring, in part, to Leonard Bernstein’s progressive stance on gender within the orchestra. She believes that without his influence, the Philharmonic might not have been ready for a female double bassist at the time.
Reflecting on Bernstein’s impact, Orin recalls, “He was the greatest music explainer, I think, that ever lived. Some people have called him the ‘American Liszt’ because he was a pianist, a composer, [and] an educator.” She fondly remembers watching Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts on television, which played a crucial role in shaping her musical understanding.
Throughout her career, Orin was privileged to work closely with Bernstein, playing all nine Mahler symphonies with him. She later passed on his teaching, remembering his unique tempos and phrasing as she mentored younger musicians.
Orin has always remained passionate about music, finding it to be a therapeutic outlet for emotions. She credits her early experiences playing piano as an escape during a difficult family time, stating, “Music is a way to organize your emotions and express them. It gives you a tremendous outlet for emotional turmoil.”
She also recalls a humorous inscription Bernstein made in a book gifted to each member of the orchestra, noting, “I can do things on the podium that if I did them on Seventh Avenue, I’d be arrested.” For Orin, music has always been a way to express emotions freely and without harm, offering a unique form of release that soothes the soul.
As a highly respected figure in the classical music world, Orin O’Brien’s story, now immortalized in an Oscar-nominated documentary, serves as both an inspiration and a tribute to her lifelong contributions to music.
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