Trailblazing double bassist Orin O'Brien never wanted the spotlight, but when Leonard Bernstein hired her in 1966 as the first female musician in the New York Philarmonic, it was inevitable that she would become the focus of much interest and fascination. Now 87 years old and recently retired, Orin looks back on her remarkable life and career, insisting that a fuss should not be made, much preferring to play a supporting role to the family, students, friends, and colleagues that surround her.
The Only Girl in the Orchestra (2023) is a documentary and music film directed by Molly O'Brien, released on November 9, 2023 with a runtime of 35m. It stars Orin O'Brien, Molly O'Brien, George O'Brien and Marguerite Churchill. Viewers rate it 6.5 out of 10 across 70 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Only Girl in the Orchestra before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for The Only Girl in the Orchestra.
Trailer
Teaser
Featurette
Orin O'Brien
as Self
Molly O'Brien
as Self / Narrator
George O'Brien
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Marguerite Churchill
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Leonard Bernstein
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Directed by Molly O'Brien, produced by Lisa Remington and Molly O'Brien.
Average viewer score of 6.5/10 from 70 ratings.
Born of Hollywood Silver Screen stock - George O'Brien and Marguerite Churchill, Orin O'Brien studies ballet as a child before taking up the double bass and trailblazing for her sex to become the first woman to play for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Of course there isn't a great deal of archive of her actual performances and so we are left to survive on a sparing collection of photographs and plenty of…
Reviewed on August 4, 2026
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The Only Girl in the Orchestra (2023) is available to stream on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The Only Girl in the Orchestra (2023) includes Orin O'Brien, Molly O'Brien, George O'Brien, Marguerite Churchill and Leonard Bernstein. The film was directed by Molly O'Brien. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Only Girl in the Orchestra was released on November 9, 2023 and runs for 35m.
The Only Girl in the Orchestra (2023) holds an average rating of 6.5 out of 10 from 70 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy documentary and music films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Only Girl in the Orchestra trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
