The Organ Symphony

Bringing five peoples’ stories of their relationship with one of the five vital organs to life through music 

An extraordinary one-off symphony brings to life the stories of five people and their unique relationship with one of their primary organs – the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys and liver.

Each representative worked with the producer, Maia Miller-Lewis to illustrate their relationship to their organ through music, creating musical sketches. These sketches were then taken by composer, David Owen Norris, who turned them into classical scores. In this way the five organs have become five sections of an orchestra. The heart, the vocals. The lungs, the brass. The kidneys the woodwind. The brain, the percussion. The liver, the strings.

David ultimately brought the five pieces together, working them into harmony to form the completely unique Organ Symphony, performed at the BBC Maida Vale Studios in March 2025 by the BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Singers.

Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis | Conductor and composer: David Owen-Norris | Executive Producer: Jo Rowntree | Editor: Kirsten Lass | Studio Manger: Dan King | Photographer: Mark Allan 

  • BBC Concert Orchestra discussing 'The Organ Symphony' in March 2025 at BBC Maida Vale Studios, a Loftus Media production. Photography: Mark Allan © Loftus Media
  • BBC Concert Orchestra performing 'The Organ Symphony' in March 2025 at BBC Maida Vale Studios, a Loftus Media production. Photography: Mark Allan © Loftus Media
  • BBC Concert Orchestra performing 'The Organ Symphony' in March 2025 at BBC Maida Vale Studios, a Loftus Media production. Photography: Mark Allan © Loftus Media
  • Score of 'The Organ Symphony' by composer David Owen Norris perform a programme for BBC Radio 4, titled The Organ Symphony in BBC Maida Vale studio 3 on Monday 3 Mar. 2025 Photo by Mark Allan
  • David Owen-Norris during performance of 'The Organ Symphony' in March 2025 at BBC Maida Vale Studios, a Loftus Media production. Photography: Mark Allan © Loftus Media
  • BBC Concert Orchestra performing 'The Organ Symphony' in March 2025 at BBC Maida Vale Studios, a Loftus Media production. Photography: Mark Allan © Loftus Media
  • BBC Singers performing 'The Organ Symphony' in March 2025 at BBC Maida Vale Studios, a Loftus Media production. Photography: Mark Allan © Loftus Media
  • The BBC Symphony Orchestra and Singers conducted by composer David Owen Norris perform 'The Organ Symphony' at BBC Maida Vale studio 3 on Monday 3 Mar. 2025 Photo by Mark Allan

Listen to the all the compositions featured in the programme including the full Organ Symphony piece

The Organ Symphony

"A remarkable piece of audio and praise is due to the producer Maia Miller-Lewis for creating such ground-breaking audio. The result: something very special."

Anna Jones, The Radio Times