What does a pit orchestra do?

Conducting became a specialized form of musical activity only in the early 19th century. As early as the 15th century, performances by the Sistine Choir in the Vatican were kept together by slapping a roll of paper (or in other cases, a lengthy pole, or baton) to maintain an audible beat.

An orchestra is a large group of musicians which can include even 100 or more members. A band is a small group of musicians which generally includes a lesser number of members than orchestras. Orchestras use four main families of instruments – strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.

Standard Orchestral Instruments2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets and 2 bassoons (woodwind instruments)2 or 4 French horns, 2 trumpets (brass instruments)2 timpani or “kettle drums” (percussion instruments)12 violins, 4 violas, 3 cellos and 2 double basses (string instruments)

The main woodwind family instruments in an orchestra are the flute, oboe, clarinet or bassoon. Other somewhat common woodwind instruments are the piccolo, english horn, and bass clarinet.

If you were a part of the band or orchestra for all four years of high school you should absolutely include that in your application. That is a large part of who you were in high school and it shows that you are dedicated to a hobby.

Instruments of the OrchestraString family. Violin. Viola [vee-OH-lah] Cello (violoncello) [CHEL-low] ... Woodwind family. Flute, Piccolo. Oboe, English horn. Clarinet, Bass clarinet. ... Brass family. Trumpet. Horn (French horn) Trombone. ... Keyboards and Harp. Celesta [cheh-LESS-tah] Piano. Harpsichord.

The path to obtaining a job in an orchestra is somewhat straightforward. First, you nearly always have to attend a great music school, at least at the Master's degree level. It is true that some undergraduates can go straight into an orchestral position, but it is rare.

And then there's the reality that the Glenn Miller Orchestra, after its reformation in 1956, has not stopped touring and presenting this wonderful music in a live setting all these decades.

Leroy Anderson

Madrid

Five orchestras

The path to obtaining a job in an orchestra is somewhat straightforward. First, you nearly always have to attend a great music school, at least at the Master's degree level. It is true that some undergraduates can go straight into an orchestral position, but it is rare.

The principal conductor of an orchestra or opera company is sometimes referred to as a music director or chief conductor, or by the German words Kapellmeister or Dirigent (or, in the feminine, Dirigentin).

A symphony orchestra and a philharmonic are the same thing - sort of. They're the same size and they play the same kind of music. ... “Symphony orchestra” is a generic term, whereas “philharmonic orchestra” is always part of a proper name.

An orchestral score or full score shows exactly what all the instruments of the orchestra play. ... A vocal score or piano score is the music for a piece for choir and singers (e.g. an opera) in which all the instrumental parts are printed on two staves so that it can be played on a piano.

The piano is an entire orchestra in itself – but sometimes its sound is a part of the big symphony orchestra.

Symphony Center

Orchestra pit

In many forms of music, the bass drum is used to mark or keep time. The bass drum makes a low, boom sound when the mallet hits the drumhead. In marches, it is used to project tempo (marching bands historically march to the beat of the bass).

Alex Skolnick