“The Singing Horn” by Mary Beth Orr is a Confluence of Vocals and French Horn!

Hornist and folk vocal artist Mary Beth Orr has released an album that is one-of-its-kind. She is a passionate classical hornist and vocal artist who always strives to promote the not-so-much-widely-accepted instrument. Her motto is to bridge the gap between these two genres and promote music as a confluence. The chosen medium of her classical horn and solo voice, coupled with the rich and soulful traditional melodies of her Appalachian heritage, aims to create a poignant musical journey of the human spirit. This makes her art form unique in every sense. Where the melodies from her voice portray surreal lyricism, the horn fills up the empty space with its instrumental richness. She is currently the 3rd Horn of the Grand Rapids Symphony and has performed with ensembles including the Detroit Symphony and Charleston Symphony. Through her art, Orr has won prizes at the International Horn Competition of America and International Women’s Brass Conference Solo Competition, among many others. Her recent album, “The Singing Horn,” recently won Silver Outstanding Achievement Honors at the Global Music Awards 2025. 

Mary Beth Orr

Through “The Singing Horn” you get submerged into the beauty of cross-genre music with the elements of French horn and human vocals. 

The album consists of 26 songs, where each song radiates its own energy and style. Mary draws connections between the horn and the human voice, which merges two very remarkable elements of music. The album is made in such a way that the first five tracks feel like a song cycle that transitions seamlessly song after song. The rise of folk and classical elements in “Appalachia and Wayfaring Stranger” and 4 volumes of “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen,” a track based on horn and piano, culminate into the haunting beauty of “Oh Death." Traditional songs like “I'll Fly Away” and “When the Mountains Cry” try to connect the distant generations and cultures together with its sound. 

The track “Good and True” is inspired by the birthing song of the Dagara Tribe, as described by Sobonfu Somé. The works harness the synergy of horn and voice as vessels for storytelling—a confluence of three elements of music. Many other songs that will catch your attention from the album are “Outdoor Song,” “The Coast of Kerry,” and “Wondrous Love.” Listening to “A Dream of Epiphany” feels like a moment of sudden and profound understanding or realization, often experienced during sleep. Mary Beth Orr truly displays her talent of singing and playing the horn in this one.

Test the melody down here:

Discover more such similar tracks on our Testing Symphonies playlist: