What makes an orchestra conductor great?

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Answer:

A conductor must communicate with and inspire others to realize this conception of the music, all the while allowing the musicians a freedom to do their best work. Achieving the narrative and musical effects a conductor seeks requires remarkable skill, sensitivity, tact and, say I, elegance and humanity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a member of an orchestra earn?

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.

What are the names of the 4 families in the orchestra?

This stems from the family names like “Woodwind” and “Brass”. However, the families are actually based on how the instruments produce sound. Traditionally, there are four families of instruments; Strings, Woodwinds, Brass (sometimes “Brasswind”), and Percussion.

Where should you sit in an orchestra?

The best seats in most concert halls for both acoustics and sight lines are in a section of the hall often called the “Dress Circle.” This is typically the first section at the front of the balcony.

What do you call the conductor of an orchestra?

Nomenclature. 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).

What is meant by orchestration in a piece of music?

Orchestration, the arrangement or composition of music for instruments, especially those found in an orchestra.

How is an orchestra different from a concert band?

Q: What is the difference between an orchestra and a concert band? A: The most obvious difference between the ensembles is the instruments that call the ensemble home. Violins, violas, cellos and basses make up the majority of an orchestra, while a concert band is made up of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.

23 Related Question Answers Found:

What is the guitar orchestra?

A guitar orchestra is an ensemble of players, all sitting like a "real orchestra," usually clustered around a conductor with music stands in front of them, all playing guitars and generally looking at a page of music.

Does an orchestra tune to the oboe?

The entire orchestra must tune to them, but the oboe still plays a role. When a keyboard instrument joins the orchestra as either a featured instrument or just a section member, the oboist listens to the 'A' played by the keyboard, matches it, and plays it so the rest of the orchestra can hear.

What are the four sections of the symphony orchestra?

In the 18th century in Germany, Johann Stamitz and other composers in what is known as the Mannheim school established the basic composition of the modern symphony orchestra: four sections, consisting of woodwinds (flutes, oboes, and bassoons), brass (horns and trumpets), percussion (two timpani), and strings (first ...

What is meaning of orchestra in English?

: a group of musicians who play usually classical music together and who are led by a conductor. US : a group of seats in a theater that are close to the stage. See the full definition for orchestra in the English Language Learners Dictionary. orchestra. noun.

What instruments make up a classical orchestra?

The Classical orchestra came to consist of strings (first and second violins, violas, violoncellos, and double basses), two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two or four horns, two trumpets, and two timpani.

What happened to the orchestra in the classical period?

The piano really came into its own as a source of interesting sonorities; the orchestra expanded in size and scope; new instruments were added; and old instruments were improved and made more versatile. The Romantic period saw the appearance of the first textbook on the subject of orchestration.

Does Hamilton have a live orchestra?

Does Hamilton have a live orchestra? yes! they live down in the magic music hole with Alex Lacamoire. the recording lyrics booklet (Act 1) lists the band, though the recording does feature a couple additional musicians that are not normally part of the show.

What does the maestro do in orchestra?

Orchestral musicians are seasoned professionals and it is the COMPOSER who decides, and writes down, exactly what s/he wants the players to do. The "maestro" did not write the music. Players play without cues from the conductor. Conductors are not needed for performances.

What is an orchestra essay?

Essay for Orchestra is a one-movement concert piece scored for full orchestra. Since the definition of the genre "orchestral essay" is unclear, the composer has considerable latitude while still claiming a connection to a musical tradition. I have used the term "essay" to suggest a formal function.

What is meant by Western classical art orchestral music?

Whereas most popular styles are usually written in song form, classical music is noted for its development of highly sophisticated instrumental musical forms, like the concerto, symphony and sonata. Classical music is also noted for its use of sophisticated vocal/instrumental forms, such as opera.

What are 3 instruments that would be in an orchestra?

Instruments of the Orchestra

  • String 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.

Why do orchestras tune to an A?

Orchestras always tune to 'A', because every string instrument has an 'A' string. The standard pitch is A=440 Hertz (440 vibrations per second). ... This is because most of the band instruments are actually pitched in B flat, and so this is their natural tuning note.

How should a conductor act in front of an orchestra?

Conductors communicate with their musicians primarily through hand gestures, usually with the aid of a baton, and may use othergestures or signals such as eye contact. ... Conductors act as guides to the orchestras or choirs they conduct.

Why do orchestras sit the way they do?

“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.