 |
 Send this story to a friend
Orchestral Instruments
Teach your child about orchestral instruments. Get information on instruments of the symphony orchestra. Useful links, including online games, pictures of orchestra instruments and their sounds are provided. What is the instrument placement in an orchestra? Find out here.
A small orchestra is called a chamber orchestra, usually with 20-40 musicians. A full-sized orchestra is a symphony orchestra, usually with 80-100 musicians. The terms symphony orchestra (sounding together) and philharmonic orchestra (music loving) are synonymous. The terms are usually used to distinguish between separate orchestras in the same city.
Note, 'philharmonic orchestra' only appears as part of a proper name. That is, it's proper to call the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra a symphony orchestra, but the Boston Symphony Orchestra is not a philharmonic orchestra.
The instruments of the modern symphony orchestra are:
- Strings: Violin, viola, double bass, harp
- Woodwinds: Flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, contrabassoon and sometimes: accordion, cor anglais (English horn)
- Brass: Trumpet, trombone, french horn (horn), tuba and sometimes: cornet, baritone, euphonium, mellophone and sousaphone
- Percussion:
- definite pitch - timpani, and somtimes xylophone, marimba, tubular bells (chimes), glockenspiel and celesta;
- indefinite pitch - bass drum, side drum (with snare), cymbals, tam tam (gong) and auxiliary instruments like tenor drum, tambourine, triangle, maracas, castanets, claves, blocks and scrapers.
- harp - rarely found in the typical modern symphony orchestra. The concert harp is as expensive as it is beautiful (~USD$20,000). Should you be lucky enough to find a harp instructor for your child, your child will be learning a rare skill indeed.
- piano - occasionally
...and let's not forget the conductor.
Recommended links:
|
Related Topics: Music Education,Toddler,Preschool,Kindergarten,1st Grade,2nd Grade,3rd Grade,4th Grade,5th Grade,6th Grade,
|
|
|
|
