What is a word for to train or guide an orchestra?

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Answer:

A conductor is a person who stands in front of an orchestra or choir and directs its performance. ... On a train, a conductor is a person whose job is to travel on the train in order to help passengers and check tickets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Orchestra plays for movies?

The Film Score OrchestrasHollywood Studio Symphony. Northwest Sinfonia. Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Boston Symphony Orchestra. London Symphony Orchestra. Outside of Hollywood, the LSO have probably recorded the most film scores. ... A concert orchestra, used for many film and television scores. The London Philharmonic Orchestra.

What is the violas role in the orchestra?

In an orchestra, the viola often has a larger role, providing the middle space between the violins and the lower strings. The viola is built on the same lines as the violin but is slightly larger. ... In the Baroque era, the viola was largely used for filling in harmonies.

What kind of instruments are in an orchestra?

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.

Who direct an orchestra?

The person who conducts (or directs) the orchestra is usually called a “conductor” or “director.” Some people use the term “maestro,” but that usually reserved for people with demonstrated mastery and experience (and usually used BY people who are trying to flatter the conductor or director).

What orchestral wood wind doesn't always play in orchestra?

You may be surprised that the saxophone is not here. This is the one instrument that is always found in bands and wind ensembles, but only very rarely plays in the orchestra.

What is the second largest bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra?

In modern symphony orchestras, it is the second largest stringed instrument (the double bass is the largest). Thus, the name "violoncello" contained both the augmentative "-one" ("big") and the diminutive "-cello" ("little").

What does the brass section do in an orchestra?

When you press down on the valves, they open and close different parts of the pipe. You change the pitch and sound by pressing different valves and buzzing your lips harder or softer. The brass family members that are most commonly used in the orchestra include the trumpet, French horn, trombone, and the tuba.

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Why do you hear the piccolo above the orchestra or band?

The human ear naturally picks out higher notes, so when piccolos play extremely high, we can hear them more easily than the other instruments in a band or orchestra, similar to how a xylophone can be heard over the ensemble much more easily than a marimba, even when played at the same volume.

Why is the string family called the backbone of the orchestra?

Yet another reason why a string section is often considered as the backbone of the orchestra, is because of their numbers. The string section may have 12 first violins, 12 2nd violin, 10 violas, 10 cellos, 5 double basses. ... A violin doesn't stand a chance. Thus they have to gang up in large numbers.

What is the difference between an orchestrator and a composer?

How is orchestrating different than composing? ... If the composer has written a divisi—something where, say, the violins play two different parts—the orchestrator will determine exactly how the music will be divided, whether it's simply between first and second violins or a more unusual arrangement.

How much do orchestral musicians get paid?

Major orchestra salaries range by the orchestra from a little over $100,000 to a little over $150,000. Principals, the ranking member of each orchestra section, can make a great deal more, in some instances more than $400,000. And most major orchestras play for a season lasting only about nine- months a year.

Why is the saxophone not considered an orchestral instrument?

It was rapidly assimilated into military bands and by the turn of the century could be found in vaudeville acts and other similar genres as a novelty instrument. All of these factors combined suggest why the saxophone never became part of the orchestra.

Is orchestra a verb?

To arrange or score music for performance by an orchestra. To compose or arrange orchestral music for a dramatic performance.

Does William and Mary have an orchestra?

The William & Mary Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in 1932, has as its mission the preparation and performance of a wide range of orchestral music at a high artistic level.

Is the flute an important instrument of the orchestra?

Although originally made from wood, the flute is one of the few instruments in the woodwind family that is made from metal. ... It started to become popular in Europe in the 1500s became an important instrument in chamber orchestras.

Is the bass drum in the orchestra?

The most common percussion instruments in the orchestra include the timpani, xylophone, cymbals, triangle, snare drum, bass drum, tambourine, maracas, gongs, chimes, celesta, and piano.

How many years ago was the orchestra invented?

People have been putting instruments together in various combinations for millennia, but it wasn't un- til about 400 years ago that musicians started forming combinations that would eventually turn into the modern orchestra. Around 1600 in Italy, the composer Claudio Monteverdi changed that.

Does orchestra include clarinet?

In an orchestra, the clarinet takes on both solo roles and the middle register of the woodwind part, while in music for wind instruments the clarinet assumes a leading role (along with the trumpet). Due to its warm timbre and all-action playing style, it is also used as a solo instrument in genres such as swing jazz.

Why do orchestras need so many violins?

The goal with an orchestra is to balance the volume of the different sections to create the ideal sound. More violins creates a more lush sound, and a better balance with the winds, brass and percussion.

Why do orchestra conductors conduct ahead of the beat?

So, beating ahead gives the musicians the chance to follow the conductor's instructions with a bit of warning. ... Yet amateur orchestra conductors tend more typically to conduct on the beat, to act as a clear metronome for the musicians (Bernstein wouldn't like it, but hey-ho, it's good to be in time).

What makes a gamelan orchestra unique?

The gamelan ensemble is made up of sixteen bronze xylophones, several gongs and gong-chimes, drums, cymbals, and bamboo flutes—over forty instruments in total. ... Each gamelan ensemble functions as one gigantic instrument, with its own unique timbre and tuning.

Where do the string players sit in the orchestra?

Front The strings sit at the front of the stage in a fan-shape in front of the conductor. The first violins are on the conductor's left, then come the second violins, then the violas and then the cellos.