What is an orchestra simple definition?

Answer:

An orchestra is a group of musicians playing instruments together. ... The word "orchestra" originally meant the semi-circular space in front of a stage in a Greek theatre which is where the singers and instruments used to play. Gradually the word came to mean the musicians themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between instrumentation and orchestration?

For the purposes of this article, instrumentation refers to the body of knowledge about instruments: the mechanics of sound production and the techniques of performers. Orchestration refers to the use of technical knowledge to assign musical content to instruments in an ensemble to achieve a sonorous effect.

How is a symphony orchestra organized?

The typical symphony orchestra consists of four groups of related musical instruments called the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings (violin, viola, cello, and double bass).

Which is the largest orchestral family?

Strings

What does the word orchestra mean nowadays?

Orchestranoun. A large group of musicians who play together on various instruments, usually including some from strings, woodwind, brass and/or percussion; the instruments played by such a group orchestranoun.

Is used to lead the orchestra?

Orchestras are usually led by a conductor who directs the performance with movements of the hands and arms, often made easier for the musicians to see by use of a conductor's baton. The conductor unifies the orchestra, sets the tempo and shapes the sound of the ensemble.

Who is the founding music director of the Metro Manila Community Orchestra?

Josefino Toledo

17 Related Question Answers Found:

Why does the oboe lead the orchestra in tuning?

So why do today's orchestras tune to the oboe? The penetrating sound of the oboe stands out from the orchestra, so it's easy for all the musicians to hear. Its pitch is also steadier than strings, so it's a more reliable tuning source. ... So they became the standard instrument for tuning.

What is a whole orchestra?

A modern full-scale symphony orchestra consists of approximately one hundred permanent musicians, most often distributed as follows: 16–18 1st violins, 16 2nd violins, 12 violas, 12 cellos, 8 double basses, 4 flutes (one with piccolo as a specialty), 4 oboes (one with English horn as a specialty), 4 clarinets (one with ...

How hard is it to get into orchestra?

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.

Which instrument is the highest sounding in the orchestra?

The Flute. The flute is the highest sounding of the standard orchestra woodwind instruments (although the piccolo is higher). It's played played by blowing air across a hole in the mouthpiece. Because it's higher in pitch, like the violin, it will often play the melody of a piece.

What happened Red Orchestra?

In the summer of 1942, the Gestapo discovered the resistance organization formed around Harnack and Schulze-Boysen and investigated them under the collective name of “Red Orchestra.” They discredited the resistance group as a Soviet espionage organization, and the members were tried for “treason.” The Reich Court ...

Can an orchestra be called a band?

A “band” includes brass, percussion, and woodwinds along with flutes, clarinets, and trumpets. An “orchestra” is composed of different string instruments like violins, basses, and violas.

What is the easiest orchestra string instrument to learn?

Violin. Suitable for any potential performer over the age of 6, the violin can be played effortlessly after only a little practice. ... Cello. Part of the same family as the violin, the cello is another musical instrument that most people are able to learn easily. ... Double Bass. ... Flute. ... Clarinet. ... Saxophone. ... Trumpet. ... Guitar.

Was the Red Orchestra successful?

Intelligence professionals and historians alike have long regarded the Red Orchestra as one of the most successful spy rings that operated during the Second World War.

Which term describes a one movement work for orchestra with a literacy program?

Which term describes a one-movement work for orchestra with a literary program? A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section (a movement) in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another (non-musical) source is illustrated or evoked.

Why does the orchestra sit the way it does?

“The board was outraged, arguing that the winds 'weren't busy enough to put on a good show. ' “But in the 1920s he made one change that stuck: he arranged the strings from high to low, left to right, arguing that placing all the violins together helped the musicians to hear one another better.